Circle of Fire
by Paperjam7
Summary: Khalon is left to deal with the chaos and mystery surrounding the Dinosaucers' leave of Earth. Narrates where the cartoon left off.
1. Chapter 1

Thank you for taking interest in my fanfiction _Circle of Fire: Aftermath_. It is based off of the cartoon _Dinosaucers_ that aired on at least two channels during the wonderful1987-1992 era. The cartoon's storyline is this: war has ravaged the home planet Reptilian, and to finish the fighting between the Dinosaucers (good) and the Tyrranos (bad), they must go to Earth. There the Dinosaucers equip the help of Secret Scouts, who happen to be between the age of 13-17. There, on earth, they obliterate any plans that the Tyrranos attempt at.

Of course, the writers of _Dinosaucers_ left out obvious facts: Warfare equates death. Since this was aimed for kids of the age 5, this element was taken out. Everything was made harmless. The Tyrranos were made stupid and clumsy. Both sides' main weapon was the bloodless _fossilizer_ – turning anything organic into stone.

My fanfic _Circle of Fire: Aftermath_ takes place during 2015 supposing that the actual time period of the Dinosaucers and Tyrranos coming to earth was 1987. It details Allo's (the leader of the Dinosaucers) son's life in the wake of the supposed defeat of the Tyrranos. His son is left with the rumor, scorn, and bad blood of his good-turned-traitor/murder father. He is kicked out of the Dinosaucers and ejected to planet Earth, where the narrative begins.

But my story isn't complete. First off, it has several parts where it needs revision; particularly during parts detailing the socio-political background of Reptilian, and of Allo's demise; and the whole plot needs to be better connected together and have more substance. And secondly it needs to, well, be finished.

This is the first revision. Thus said, it needs _much_ work.

All elements of the _Dinosaucers_ cartoon, including the names and character Reptilian, Allo, Demetrio (or Dimitrio?), Bronto-Thunder, Ghengis Rex (or _Genghis_ Rex?), and all other related characters/names/elements are © 1987 Coca-Cola Telecommunications.

The characters Khalon, Ethan, Simon, Darien are Copyright me.

Happy reading.Heh, if this is even worth reading... Ahhh. Needs work horribly. But anyway.

And thanks Mike O'Brien for input and ideas, particularly Allo not being "perfect" as portrayed by the cartoon.

CG

* * *

A loud crash ripped the silence open like a knife through warm butter. Or in the lone farmer's case, a transmission end. Growling and uttering, he quickly sets down the plasma cutter and swiftly stands up. In his haste he clips the edge of the protective mask on the rear tire fender, making him twist about in an odd fashion and fall on his buttocks. He mutters some expletive again. The dog resting near the dilapidated tractor pulls his head off the comfortable earth, from a comfortable sleep, and cocks his head.

"Shaddup."

Whine. The snap sends the dog back to the interrupted sleep. Or a forced sleep, at least, to hide from all doubt. Ripping the mask off, the farmer looks out to where the noise came from. And down to the mask. He snorts.

"Blasted. Now it got my shield an' it got my good fer nuthin' camshaft! I'm not gonna let those Worthfields get away with this _this_ time. No sireebob, not in my fields and on my time."

The reddened face farmer was about to walk off towards the barn but was quickly met by someone.

"Harold."

A hurried, heavily forced sigh flushed from his lips. "Now, Christine I -"

The motherly looking figure placed both hands on her hips and set herself in mood. Heavy, but gentle. "Don't give me that. We've talked about this before haven't we?"

A long pause showed his concern. He went around her to the barn and commented lowly. "Yeah. And this'll be the last time, I promise."

She sighed. But it was far from his sigh. It was more frusterated than anything. "Just let them do what they will, just don't-"

Rattle, click. The doubled barrels were raised into place. He tested the strength of the mechanism and commented on his departure. "Do what?"

"...Just don't..." She motioned with a hand. "You know what their parents could do."

He stopped. His words bit with sarcasm. "Yeah, I know, and I'm sure they'll love me even more after this."

After a few minutes of walking through a freshly plowed field, the farmer eventually came closer to the cause of the noise. A low depression dipped into the ground, and a chaotic meandering of earthly debris were spewed all around.

"Dangit, you blasted boys better git outta here afore I show you two what the meaning of..."

The depression was more than a depression. Percieved when closer, it was a crater. And not only that, but a large, plated looking, metallic colored orbed shaped object lay in the crater.

"That... don't... look like any Worthfields to me."

The farmer looked over. "Never say never, Ethan."

The rough looking teenager sniffed loudly after staring curiously at the object for a minute. He had caught up to the farmer in his slow pace to the crater. A flaking metallic piece from the ground was picked up, and flicked into the crater with a finger. "...Never's happened."

The piece rattled down the steep but shallow side of the crater and bounced off the object. The noise that seemingly resulted startled both of them.

"Rowf!"

Both jumped and looked at that-

"Blasted dog! Your no better than a pair of those Worthfie-"

The Uncle's words were cut short by a sound. An ovular seam formed from above the nose of the object back towards the middle, and met around at the beginning.

The boy retorted in a quiet tone. "...A... window or somethin'?"

And a window indeed it appeard to be. The surface of the ovular "window"smoothed over in ripples and became slightly translucent. A dark form rested inside. The farmer retorted in the negative.

"Git away. It might jump out, whatever's in there."

The boy took a few steps back from the shiny, metallic craft. Both eyed the thing; The majority of the object appeared to be constructed of shallow seamed plates with no raised indentations for rivets or bolts. Sticking out from each side was an inverted wing. Or supposedly from each side. The craft rested at the end of some shallow ditchmark, starting about two hundred feet and ending in the angled craft. The telltale signs of the missing wing were evident in the shrapnel of metal strewn from a shallow ditch to the left of the main. It suddenly ended after a few feet from the beginning of the main.

Crash, perhaps.

"Yeah..." the boy said airily, answering his question. He took a slow step forward and stood on his tiptoes. Both eyes were on the 'window'.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you..." The farmer Uncle barked. "You never know what the heck could jump out."

The boy quickly walked around to the front and crossed his arms, peering all the more. "Yeah... but if there was something in there, then it probably would have gotten us already."

Snort. "Mebbe whatever the heck's in there just wants you to think that."

The two stood there for a few moments with eyes on the thing. The dog had left. "Nothin's happenin, so get the tractor an' hitch it up to the red barn."

The boy frowned. "What's the use in hidin' it when anyone could've seen it?"

The Uncle responded as he walked off towards the house. "The thing is... they didn't. You were just shootin' off fireworks."

"But-"

"Get the tractor."

The boy's frown turned to an irritated scowl. "Always so sure..."

Note: John Deere 9320 375 HP tractor used - 8 wheels, very large http/ craft was hitched up by wrapping wide nylon belts and chains around the wing and rear portion. The wide nylon belts wrapped around the wing and the rear and the chains finished the rest off.

The large John Deere 9320 tractor roared to life, its eight cylinders pumping out a whistling whine. Clutch, Shift. Ethan looked over his shoulder. The dragging of the craft was messing up the freshly tilled field. "Great. There goes my morning."

He could only nudge the diesel beast up a few gears. An attempt yielded only in an engine spurring and the tachometer going crazy. So the beast was kept tame. A few glances back were given every now and then; but confident that the bonds were holding, he gave up on glancing back. But suddenly, the craft suddenly jolted. The chains clanged loudly against the metal hull, all the more forcing Ethan to peer back. Double glance.

"What the..."

The "window" of the craft went ajar.

This took Ethan's breath away. He immediatly reached down for the trusted double-barrel, but instead of moving it, he simply held on to it in fear of being noticed. The hand slid from the front to the side of the "window", and an arm protruded to the elbow. A resounding dull _thunk_ issued from somewhere behind the glass.

Ethan sat there motionless. Both eyes watched the craft until he was forced to blink from dust in the cab several times. He let a few minutes pass by as a precaution. But by the sixth minute curiosity overwelmed him and drove him to venture out of the cab and take a peek at the creature. He opened the cab door slowly and waited to see if whatever is in the craft would move again. Thankfully, it didn't. He turned around - shotgun close by his hand - and took the first step slowly, always taking peeks down from his feet to the craft every second or two. The second step was easier than the first. He stepped out to skip the last step but misjudged the distance. And slip went his foot, and thud went his body on the ground.

He suddenly panicked. Both eyes shot to the craft, expecting some horrible, hideous creature to jump out and send him to an untimely fate. But interestingly, nothing did. The hand did not move, no teeth appeared. There wasn't even a second _thunk._

Ethan waited in his sprawled position, only eyes moving - looking at the ship, and glancing at the gun. A moment or two passed of this. He finally had enough. He shifted his waist so he could grab the gun with his good-aiming arm, and did so successfully. With a new lid of courage, he looked back to the ship -

To find a hideous shadow of some creature standing atop of the craft's glass. Teeth bared, in a crouched - possibly ready - position. Ready to what? No, no, it couldn't be. No it can't. Thoughts shifted to the gun. But he just lay there in shock, awed at the site. If he moved, would it get him? If he didn't, would it pounce on his chest, doing unduly damage to his lungs or even more - killing him instantly?

Silence enveloped between the two. A tail lifted behind from the creature and a rough, raspy breathing sound started from the beast. The tail quickly dropped next to his right leg in a slightly curled fashion. And then after the dull sound of the tail against glass, silence entered the field.

"Who... Who are you?"

The boy didn't respond. It was too scarred. The shotgun just lay in his hand and he didn't move an inch, possibly thinking over some horrible fate that was to befall on him. And of running.

The monster stepped down from the craft with a result of chains clanging and the hitch squeaking.

"I said..." The beast's cut of its own sentence. His sentence. It was a deep voice like a male, with a slight, odd accent; yet clear and easily heard. So well in fact, that the boy just lay there motionless still.

The beast took a step forward. Eyes darting. From the glass hull, to the boy, and back to the glass. "What in the... Eh... Great... No."

He twisted from the waist up and opened the glass hull. He rummaged about in whatever is in the craft. "Gun. Canteen. Pack. Messy. I didn't pack this!"

Meanwhile, the boy did gain enough courage to do one thing. Take out a flashlight from his pocket and shine it at the thing. The result was the dinosaur-like beast - being a he - shielding his eyes.

The beast stood at least seven feet tall, skin reddish blue, legs and arms and the rest of a body like a human. Except it had a tail and claws for fingernails, and a snouts and no hair for a head. And teeth. Sharp. A few offcenter, but otherwise a decent dental job. If, of course, aliens who look like human/dinosaurs had dentists. And a tailor. The creature wore short-like pants with some light-looking metal armor on its shins, with metal cuffs of some sort around its forearms. A knife appeared hastily tucked into a wide-spread toeless boot, tight fitting yet looking strangely comfortable.

"Ah... kid... turn off that light! It's blinding my eyes!"

Kid didn't do as commanded. It was looking at the fairly large pistol-shaped object in its paw. The pistol looked old and worn but several, small bright lights suggested it was functional. So off went light, and darkness presumed the area. Except for the off-shoot of the tractor's front beams.

Footsteps. Closer. And yet, closer. The shotgun was lifted from the boys hands with a commanding tone. The boy didn't fight the tugging.

"You could hurt yourself with this."

The dinosaur-like creature kneeled by the boy. Close enough to get a good look at his face, but not close enough to breath on him. Might make the boy pee his pants, for all's sake.

The creature looked like it was about to say something, but it quickly snapped its mouth shut. Two emerald slitted eyes scanned the boy's face. The boy was ruddy in appearance and rough. Boy in turned blinked once and stared back. Silence again.

"David?"

A slight, quick furrow of the brows, quickly returning to a feared expression. At least it's some form of acknowledgment.

"Well... David. I'd never guessed I'd see you alive."

The boy did more than frown this time. This time he spoke. "I'm not... D-david."

A confused expression from the beast. "...What?"

The boy retorted. "...E-ethan."

The creature shifted part of his weight to the hand with the shotgun on the ground. "Well. You sure look a whole lot like... David. Do you... Are you a relative of him?"

A nod. "Alright... Hmmm. Ethan. I'm Khalon." A hand offered... to shake? The boy stared at it oddly. Those five claws were sharp and menacing. "Well. Whatever you want." The hand retracted. "I thought that's how you Earthers greet one another."

The boy bit his lower lip, and opened his mouth after doing so. "Well... in this country. Yeah."

The brow ridges on Khalon pressed down over his eyes. Slitted eyes, looking almost kinda. Almost warming. And then the boy noticed the rough rash mark across the creature's cheek, and another red-indentation across his forehead.

The creature touched where the boy was looking. "Is there something on my head?"

The boy nodded. Khalon looked back at the ship. Run Ethan, screamed his gut. But he stayed. "Must've been a harder landing... than I thought."

Khalon sighed loudly and stood up. The same paw to shake was offered again. The boy stared at it again. The response from the creature was matter-of-fact. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know. You probably can't do anything to hurt me."

"...Ok." The boy lifted an unsteady, shaky hand by the elbow up. The creature finished the distance and pulls the boy up quickly with a strong arm and firm grip. And even while standing, the boy still held a horrified expression. Khalon just stood there looking a bit awkward.

"Well. Ok. So... David. Uh. Where are you from?"

No answer. Just a horrified expression, and eyes glancing from the big muscles to both guns in his hands. That lighted pistol in one, and the shotgun in the other. "Well then. Uh. Let's get my pod in hiding so..." He glances around. "Your neighbors won't find it, hmm?"

A quick, jerky nod. Khalon looks to the ground momentarily while motioning to the tractor. "I don't know how to drive that thing so..." The boy just nodded but stood there, arm still outstretched from the elbow. Khalon looked at the boy, to his arm, and back up again. He pressed the latch on the stock and the barrel broke down. To free his other hand, he shoved the pistol into his belt and, with the freed hand, plucked the two shells from the barrels. All the while the boy watched in absolute horror. All color had drained from his face, so perhaps a gun would help. Just mebbe.

"Here," Said Khalon, handing gun to the boy. But the boy just looked at it oddly and looked back up to the creature's face. So the monster placed the gun in the still outstretched hand. And nothing happened. "Ok, I don't want to hurt you. In fact, I don't even want to touch you or anything. But if it takes me holding you at gun point, then..." And that made the boy move. He made his way over to the tractor with a few glances back. Just like a baby looking back at its mother. Except the mother was a humanoid dinosaur, and the baby was a frightened teenager. The baby teenager climbed into the cab with the gun in hand and the mother dinosaur stood on one of the footsteps. "Ok... lets go." Pause. "No wait. I better hid in the pod. I might frighten your... family. I don't know if your father remembers me or anything..."

"They arn't my folks."

Khalon just stood there, hand hanging onto the support bar. "What?"

Ethan swallowed hard. "I said... They arn't my folks." An odd look from Khalon. "My dad's dead."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

With the tractor rolling at a very slow pace, and Khalon nestled back into the pod again, they were off. In the meantime of wait Khalon rummaged through whatever was in the pod. "Ok. Canteen, lighter - " Snap. A bright, blue and white flame lit up the small pod. He continued to look. "Map. Of somewhere..." He tossed that over to his left side with other checked things. "A... watch." The chains rattled and the pod shuffled a bit out of the sudden. He lost grip of the lighter and it landed over in a far corner behind the composit-plastic seat. His shifting to reach for the lighter caused the seat to shift. A frown, a squished wrist. But the wrist was not of his concern for the moment. He shifted over to the other side to relieve pressure and felt along the bottom of the affixed chair. "Reptilion Air Force brand. But no bolts?" He felt around on the boltless holes and down by the floor. A rough groove of metal on the floor of the pod, and a few shavings. He then reached over to get the lighter, careful of his position on the chair in the cramped pod. Once the lighter was in hand, he shifted to the left from his torso up so he could reach his hand into the nose-shaped end of the pod.

Snap. The cool blue illumination revealed two curious marks along the from of the pod. The lighter was moved over from the front to the two extensions from the seat. He felt the ends of the extensions idly, and then leaned back in the seat. A glance up to the bar across the front part of the transparent glass, and a pass across his forehead.

Khalon shook his head with a sigh. Both eyes idly looked up through the wavy depiction of a nighttime sky. Stars abound spread across the black expanse... He traced from the Great Dipper to Orion, and to his belt.

"Middle star up high, lead me from Earth to sky, make my path true, and follow me, and you." He then traced from the center star to the tip of Orion's arrow. "From this place of center come and join me - across the great Bow of time, and to the End of the world."

He slouched down in the seat. A hand wiped across his face and down his snout. "No electronics. No controls. Just a mere pod with a few basic supplies, and a lone Reptilion on a planet that no-one should ever end up on..."

He wiped his face again with his hand. But this time, he noticed something... A note. Scribbled into the glass above his head. The lighter instantly went up by it. Snap.

"Safe home. LD." He flicked off the lighter. "Safe home... LD. What's that supposed to mean?"

Forty five minutes later, with tractor in its shed and the pod in an empty barn, Khalon stretched on the hard earth and took a rest from the cramped pod. "I never thought this place would be like this."

Ethan closed the barn door and turned on heel. He eyed the craft and Khalon curiously. "The barn?"

Khalon chuckled. "No. Earth."

A silence grew between the two. Khalon continued to stare aimlessly into the trusses of the barn cieling, and Ethan stared aimingly at Khalon. Khalon eventually met the late teenager's stare after a few more dull moments. "Yes?"

Ethan shook his head and looked away. "Nothing."

Khalon frowned. "Nothing what?"

Ethan cleared his throat and turned to the barn door slightly. "Well... don't worry about it, its nothing."

"Oh." Khalon looked at the barn door and back to Ethan. "I'll sleep in the pod."

"But... Its open. Someone will -"

"It was closed." A nod. "There's got to be a way to keep it shut. If however I got in there and it so happened to shut, then it's got to shut." Khalon sighed. "But though the darned thing can shut... Bah. No rockets. No solid rockets, or even liquid fuel." He resumed his aimless staring at the cieling.

Ethan fidgited with his hands. "So. Ah... Where are..."

"Where am I from? Not here." He forces a laugh and places both hands behind his head. "Far away. Let's just say... very far away."

"Well. How far, though?"

Khalon gave Ethan an odd look, which made him look to the ground for a moment and fidgit all the more. "I mean. What's your home planet called?"

He just shook his head and closed his eyes. Ethan remained silent and still for a moment before going to the door. Before unlatching it, he asked another question. "Are you hungry?"

Khalon shook his head. But he was. His stomach was growling, and his movements before had seemed somewhat weak. Weaker than a beast his size should be.

"I'll be back in the morning. You... you like eggs?"

Khalon didn't answer.

Ethan sighed softly and left. "Good night."

Khalon opened an eye and placed a hand on his stomach. "I thought I just ate." He shook his head and shut his eyes. And suddenly opened both and sat up. "I did. No. I couldn't have." He looked at his arms and hands. Both hands were turned over. "Mebbe I do need some protien." Snort, and he got up. "Nighty night, sleep tight. Yeah." A frosty sigh escaped his lips as he jumped into the pod. He didn't bother figuring out a way to lock the glass. He just closed his eyes and was quickly off to sleep.

The morning sun poking through the cracks in the side of the barn woke Khalon up. A knothole streamed through the grey glass and onto Khalon's eye. He breathed in the cool morning air deeply and yawned loudly. Him bumping his head confirmed the presence of the pod. And that he was on earth. On earth? "Great." With a thrust of both hands, the heavy glass top flew open and out he stumbled. He had barely enough time to get in a large stretch and another yawn before the door of the barn opened. Ethan appeared with a plateful of eggs, fresh bacon, and buttered toast. In his other hand were utensils.

"Uh. Good morning..."

Khalon's grip on the pistol relaxed and he shoved it away before Ethan spotted the gun. Ethan turned around from closing the door and stood there a moment. Perhaps he too was surprised that Khalon had fallen on earth still.

"You... slept well?

Khalon scratched the back of his neck and shook his head. "Could be better but... I got to sleep fine."

Ethan looked down at the steaming eggs. "I brought this for you. I guessed you might be hungry." A glance at the pod. "Unless you have.. your own food or rashions or whatever."

Khalon clasped both hands behind his back and pulled them up. Stretch. "...Ahh... No. I don't have any."

Ethan shrugged and walked over to Khalon. The plate and utensil were handed up to him. "Oh. Well, how'd you survive all that trip then?"

Khalon took the plate and the fork and knife cautiously. "Thanks." He leaned himself up against he pod and held the plate in the right and the fork in the left. "I dunno. Slept most of the way I guess."

Ethan finally said something after Khalon stared at the fork for a moment. "You can use that to scoop up the eggs. And stab the bacon... and eat it." Khalon twisted the fork in his hand. "Or... just your hands."

He took a large mouthful of eggs. "I know." Ethan placed his hands in his pockets and walked over to the pod to look at it. "Its just... I'm half-surprised to see something my own kind uses." He glances over to Ethan. Ethan ran his hand over the smooth metal. Khalon just took another mouthful of egg.

The two talked while one ate. "Are you from here, Ethan?"

"No. I'm not from Iowa. I'm from South of here... Texas."

A nod. Khalon took a cautious bite from the bacon. "Salty. You add a lot of salt to this stuff?"

"The bacon? Yeah. Help preserve it and it just tastes good."

"So... Texas. Where exactly south of here is Texas?"

"It's over ten hours away. By car. By airplane it's much shorter."

"Okay, ten hours away. Why did you move up to a farm?"

Ethan didn't respond immediately. He looks off towards the knothole that shone on Khalon's eye. "I... well my father was killed and my mother... She was a big mess and died from drinking."

The alien stopped eating for a moment. "Oh. I'm sorry..."

Ethan thrust his hands in his pockets again. "S'okay. It's been a while now. Well my father wasn't killed, just presumed to be. He dissapeared and was never found."

"Hmmm. Any clues to who got him or his whereabouts?"

"No. I mean yes. Just some random piece of some red fabric... I found it stuck on a bush that was outside our home."

Khalon took a bite of the last piece of bacon and chewed slowly. He looked up at the cieling of he barn, over to the door, and at Ethan. Ethan just stared at him. Khalon had an unusual expression on his face. "What?"

Khalon finished the bacon. "Oh. Nothing. What are your relation to those who live at this farm?"

"Aunt, Uncle."

"Huh. My second Aunt and Uncle are people that have a high position among my people... They're leaders in a sense. But they're not really my second Aunt and Uncle I guess. I just look up to them like that, though my father never told me that they are." He finished up the eggs and the rest of the bacon. "I'm about ninty-percent sure they are. Hunches. And just rumors and such, and my first Uncle said they are but... You never know."

Ethan just sort of stared right through him. "Ethan? You alright?"

He just shook his head. "I dunno. I just got here from the south... And my father. He..."

The door opened to the barn. Ethan sucked in his breath and turned around. It was his Uncle.

"Who are ya talkin' to in here?"

Ethan look worridly towards Khalon. Except he wasn't there. He must've jumped into the pod. With the plate and fork. He left the knife on the ground.

"Oh no one Uncle... Eh, no one..." He went over to the knife and picked it up. "Just talking to myself. Yes... looking for this knife."

A frown and a narrowed eye. "That thing came out?"

Ethan just about interrupted him. "No."

"Ok. You better git offta school, y'hear?" Ethan left immedietly. "'S almost time for the bus t' get here."

After Ethan had left, the Uncle looked the pod over and shut the door. He slipped a padlock out of his pocket and looped it through the rusting holes of the hinge. "No one's gettin' at my findin'!"

A lock, and a click. Footsteps away from the barn. Khalon peered out from the pod. "Gosh. That was close..." He opened the glass all the way and looked up the ladder to the overhanging attic. "Mebbe I should stay up there from now on."

Meanwhile Ethan gathered up his backpack and lunch and grabbed an apple off the kitchen counter. He headed out the door without saying goodbye. True to his Uncle's words, the bus drove up right as he close the screen door. Lucky for him the bus driver opened the bus door and looked to see if anyone was there.

"Hurry it up!" Yelled the driver.

Ethan ran to the bus and hopped on. The door closed and he got a look down the bus. A few were already picked up; some girl fixing her eyeshadow, a geeky looking kid cleaning his oversized glasses, a Jock staring out the window, and a dark-dressed person in the back. Ethan decided to take a seat in between the Jockish looking kid and the black-dressed kid in the rear of the bus. The diesel engine roared and off they went. He began to eat his supple breakfast and stare out the window.

He barely had the apple in his mouth when the bus jolted to a halt. To his dismay the apple jolted out of his hand - almost tumbling to the dirty floor. The kid dressed in black caught it. He had come from the back for whatever reason. _Metal head, _Ethan thought as he examined him. Black, spiked hair, black wifebeater and black shorts. Chains and accessories included.

"Here, you dropped this." A slight smirk and the apple offered. Ethan reluctantly took it, smiled slightly, and said muttered a "Thanks".

"No prob... And don't worry, it didn't touch the floor. I'm just seein' if..." He looked down the bus towards the front. The hood was up and the driver outside. "...Our friendly neighboorhood busdriver threw a rod again."

Jockmeister said a "Great, gonna be _late_ for _class_ _again_." loud. The metal head heh-ed. "That's Scott. And her over there is Katherine, the apple of everyone's eye..."

Ethan just nodded and said his "Yes"s and went to looking out the window for a moment. He looked back after a moment. "Ethan.."

"I'm Jack. You new this year?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you from?"

Ethan shifted in the very straight bus seat and gestured limply with a thumb. "Colorado. But... Moved to Texas and now I'm here."

Jack smiled widely and asked, "Why all the way up here? You can't take the heat and hot girls?"

"Well..." Replied Ethan with a slight laugh. Forced, perhaps. "Things didn't work out with my family so I'm living with my Aunt and Uncle."

Jack kept his smile. "So your dad got into hot girls eh?"

Ethan frowned for a moment. "Well... no. He's dead."

An embarresed look flushed on Jack's slightly pale features, and he shrugged. "Ah... sorry. I shouldn't say that..." He half-stood and peered down the single row. The bus driver slammed shut the hood and got back in. He skipped using the convenient PA and just yelled.

"Sorry about that, belt came off." He gestured with his dirt and grease grimed hands and sat back down. Close of door and start of engine. Off they went again.

Khalon had hid himself up in the upper attic area of the Barn. With the only door to the barn locked, the anthrosaur was kept away - from safety yet no escape, and with his own thoughts. For the moment at least.

"Ok. First off, I get blasted in the head." He rubs his forhead. The impression of the bar running across the glass had left its imprint on his forhead, and some random bruise was located on his temple. Rub rub rub.

"...Can't be the seat. Well mebbe but... I must have been smacked around by whoever thought this _wonderful_ joke was just... hilarious." A sigh. He looked over his few belongings. "Yep. Hilarious. Just like that time when-"

The barn door swung open and the Uncle farmer entered. A man in a dress suit, black slacks, black shoes, and black sunglasses entered - sunglasses in hand of course. Khalon noticed the handy earpiece and snorted softly to himself. Possibly, too loud though. He ducked behind the line of sight of the thick board.

He held his breath because... The board creaked. Loudly.

The suspicious man gave a suspicious look towards the attic area. "Oh, just ignore that." Uncle Henery retorted. "Just some blasted birds nesting."

_Yeah, because I'm a bird, _Khalon thought. He caught himself from saying it aloud at the Yeah.

"Anyhoo... Here she be." Henery gestured widely to the craft and look expectantly to the man. "So, since this piece of crap fell on my land, don't I get some reward?"

An annoyed look from the man. "After we confiscate it we'll figure out those kind of details."

Henery didn't like that. He crossed his arms and went to move in view of the man and the craft. "I want the money... I should get it! I didn't waste... waste my time and diesel to haul the thing over in _my _barn from _my _field in _my_ tractor. I think you'd better think abou-"

Interruption. The man slid some manilla folder from his dress jacket and handed it to the farmer. Khalon gripped his pistol tighter. _There's probably more than that where that came from._

"According to this, you actually should get _no _reward. In fact, you shouldn't even have a house. Or a tractor."

Henery went silent and stared at the folder in his hand. He opened it slowly.

"Uncle Sam doesn't forget." Henery shut it quickly and reluctantly handed it back. He nodded a few times. "...Yeah. Well. Consider this even, then? No reward 'n all?"

The man did not take it back becayse he began to walk around the craft and examine the dull metallic surface. "I'll have to talk to my bosses, but I think something like that can be... arranged." Authoritative tone in voice. That made Khalon narrow his eyes. But though the man did take a rather high stance due to his tone, his excitement could not be contained. He cracked a slight smile. "Uncle Sam will surley be very, very appreciative. Why? Never seen anything like this in my whole life..." Two fingers tapped on the hull. He placed his ear against it the metal surface. His expression did not change. "This is going to make great news. Wait-" The man stood up and looked at Henery accusingly. "Did you say _anything _at all to anyone since this hit the ground? Anything?"

Henery shook his head. "N-no. No. Nothing. Only you and I know about it."

"But..." Began the man, walking over to the glass and prying it open. He tested the weight of the glass. "Help me with this, will you?" Henery did as told and they finally got the glass up. Just a lone seat sitting at an angle, and crudely fashioned ropes holding the seat to the hull. "But, does whatever was in here _know _too?"

Henery must have caught the look from the man because he shrugged. A slightly-nervous explanation. "Uh, I dunno... No. No, nothing was in it I think... Well Ethan came inside lookin' kinda pale."

The man cocked his head slightly. He asked quickly, "How long have you had this?"

"Just since las' night. Why?"

"You better be careful. You know what..." He suddenly stopped talking. A finger pressed his earpiece against his ear. "Yeah. Yeah. It could be loose."

Henery shuffled uneasily. The man asked another question. "Oh, and did you see anything jump out when you were taking it back."

"Actually m' nephew drug it over here. I jus' retilled the ground so no one would-"

"Where is Ethan?"

"At school." Henery stepped forward and lightly clutched at his arm. "Are you gonna take him away?"

"No. Just for a little while only to question him. He'll be safe." A pause. "A lot more safer with us, actually. Who knows if whatever _thing_ came to earth likes to cause harm?"

The Uncle farmer nodded and backed off. "But as for now we're gonna search your premises and the surrounding fields and woods. For the thing. If anything did come. We do not want anyone to know about this, or the media to exploit any occurrences. So for the benefit of the doubt _you did not_ see any craft, _Ethan _did not haul this craft here, _and _this meeting or anything else did not happen. Got it?"

Henery nodded. "Because. You tell anyone and I'll personally make sure your life becomes a _living _hell. I trust you saw why in that folder."

The man said something on his radio, and went to walk off. Henery cut him off by asking, "What are you gonna do with it once you find it?"

_Find it?_ Thought Khalon. "Over my dead body."

Both the man and Henery looked up. Khalon bit his lower lip and shrunk low against the board. _There you go again with your mouth... Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot!_

On one thing, it seemed, Henery and the man from the government agreed on one thing by their expressions: Something was amiss in that old barn. Henery threw up his hands with folder still in hand. "Now _that_ was not me!"

The man looked at Henery intently. His eyesight went up to where those pesky 'bird's were. Somehow during this short surprise his hand had instintly gone to something inside his coat. He spoke as he withdrew the hand. Nothing came out - yet. The expression on his face turned to disgust and a narrowed-eye after a brief second and his eyes returned to Henery. "You better watch your mouth, farmer." An exasperated sigh permeated from his thin lips. "I would think that you would be smart enough to _shut up_. Farmer - you don't get it, do you?"

Khalon peered over the edge. The man's tone had a slight nervousness in it; and also that quick rush to what was possibly a pistol seemed a little too quick there. Nerved man. Perhaps the man caught on to the fact that the mysterious voice was deeper than Henery's.

Great. Caught on. "Farmer..." The man continued. His tone shifted to a hurriedness. "Uh. Can I ask you something? Are you sure you didn't exactly see anything come out of the craft?"

Farmer Henery had taken to the voice too. Nervous looks, and glances. "How 'bouts we discuss this outside?"

The man didn't respond immediately. A glance up at the attic, to Henery, to the craft. A slight forced smile formed on his face as if Fate prompted ego. "No. It's safe in here." He flashed his gun. "The Government keeps us armed well."

Henery forced a smile also and opened his mouth. "Well I'm glad the peoples - Uh, I mean, that's dandy."

Yeah right. But nevertheless... Business. "Alright. My people are going to come and take this away." He turned and went out the door. Henery followed after a brief look around at the barn. From the footsteps heard, it appeard the man and Henery were walking away.

"But remember what I said."

Responding voice an 'I know'. "Yeah, yeah..."


	2. Chapter 2

Khalon remained flat against the attick board until he could no longer contain himself. He looked over the edge. Nothing. Except the craft, and a twenty-foot drop. "Great..." He scanned the upper attick level with an eye for detail. "No escape. Except for..." A door. A barn door at that. It was halfway in between the wall to his back and the far opposite wall on the adjacent wall. It was open slightly and swayed in the breeze. His eyes traveled over to the nearest rafter... Apparently the attick board was thick enough to bear his own great weight - though being roughly the size of a large human - and so thus the rafters were thick and appeared sturdy and secure. Secure and sturdy. Yes. For an anthrosaur that landed on earth from who knows where.

Khalon attempted to stand up. The board below creaked along with part of the roof and the nearest rafters, but all held soundly. He took another step. Creak. And another. Before he knew it, that far off end was closer than he thought.

An overhanging shredded board hung out from where he stood. His eyes followed. Apparently there was a board running to the attick barn door at one point in time. But sadly it had fallen. The only relief of escape would be that rafter...

"Ok. Only freaking way to get out. Its do or die. I know these humans." A step on the rafter, and a loud creak. Both arms jut out to keep his balance. And suddenly there was talking outside along with the sound of heavy-equipment. "I think."

Khalon tried another step. This time there was no creak. Just a loud crunch, and... half the roof caving in! Suddenly the rafter gave way and snapped like a twig. His eyes went wide and hands flailing for something to grab. He had tumbled backwards so the only thing to grab was that nasty looking broken board. _This is going to hurt..._ And hurt indeed it did. Though both hands made it onto the board and grabbed tightly, splinters thrusted into his bare hands. A grimace and a growl. He looked around him to quickly assess his situation.

The rafter that he was standing on is now on the barn floor. Part of the roof near where the sloped roof met the other sloped edge had been ripped off. He was now at the mercy of this board, and of whomever was outside. Because his only escape _away_ from where the two had left was now obsolete. Well, mebbe not. He peered over his shoulder to the door. A small nailed-to beam rested below the door. It was almost flush with the bottom of the doorframe. _Jump? Or die trying?_

"Agh!" The splinters piercing his skin caught up with his brain. He tried shifting his position on the board but tha proved fruitless.

"There it is! On the edge up high!"

The death call reached his ears. He looked over in horror to see - that it was just men. Mere men, with armored suits, and high powered automatic weapons. Crash to earth, bad. Freak out kid, not so bad. Get food, good. Men with weapons, bad. Really bad. A weary look. "Oh, don't mind me. Just _hanging_ around." He edged himself out towards the attick board that was not hurtful-looking and evil-splintery. A glance below and a look to the men.

"Surround the building!" A pause. He reached out, hanging from his other arm - though pain shot through it - and successfully grabbed the attick board. "...On the double, _Marines_."

"Great. Now I get a first-class transport to their lousy govenment themselves, all complete with weapon-wielding men." He quickly looked around again to assess his situation a second time. He was hopelessly outnumbered. A mere pistol against who knows what? And no exit when you are basically surrounded? One part of him told him to _Get moving, Khalon! _ The other said, "I give up! Just get me the heck down!"

Apparently he followed through with the latter.

"Ok. If you'll kindly not give me stupid-faced looks because a freaky creature is talking, get me down. I surrender."

Mixed reactions. Some stern, some dumbfounded, and one... Cocky. A high ranking commander of some sorts. He stood with hands cupped to his mouth.

"Hello!" The dumb treatment: talk slowly, forming words perfectly. "Please do not be alarmed. This is for your safety as well as ours. If you do not try anything quick on us then-"

Khalon swung a foot up on the attick board. The poles supporting it creaked. Within half-way of getting up, he gave the commander a bland look. "Did. You. Hear. What. I. Just. Said?"

The commander-looking man blinked. A cough and clear of throat. "I see you understand our language."

"It's not like your satellites blare all kinds of handy information out into space, you know."

"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you - if you don't try to hurt us." The commander talked through his taken-back expression. He assumed a commanding tone. "Please come down slowly and keep those hands where we can see 'em."

Khalon finally made it up. He got a good eye of the commander - three stars on shoulders and a dozen or so colored small striped badges on his chest to the left. Green dress suit and a handy three-stared hat. He thought for a moment. "I see. So... your a General?"

A nod. "Yes, I am in command of these Marines. Please make your way to the ladder and come down slowly with your hands where I can see them."

Repeat, repeat repeat. "Alright, alright..." Ducking, he made his way to the ladder and looked over the edge. "Uh. What exactly are you going to do with me, if I ask General... Uh. Whatever your name is."

"McMerison." Someone interrrupted him and whispered to him. The whisper sounded urgent, and was emphasised with sharp tones. "No, no no. I'll be find. I think it's fine, just keep a lookout. And get that..." The General looked over to Khalon. Khalon was crouched on one knee at the top of the board. McMerison did not finish his sentence, though the man who approched him nodded and left.

"Ok. General McMerison."

"Yes, that's my name. What's your's?"

Khalon bit his lower lip. To reveal or not to? His eyes wandered about at the gawking soldiers. A government-looking person was watching from a thoughted unsuspected location. He quickly slipped out of view. "Let's just say that... It's good to meet a fellow soldier. I mean, you were one. Right?"

"Correct."

"Alright." Next, the stairs. No use stalling. He turned around and went feet first, grabbing onto the top of the groaning extended metal ladder.

"Hold it, soldier! Slower. Keep those hands above your shoulders on that ladder."

Too fast. Ok, slower. He sighed in frusteration. A glance down... About fifteen or so more feet to go. His pace slackened and he did as told.

The Marines' automatic weapons followed him down. They stayed on him even when he got to the bottom.

Khalon remained where he was. The craft was to his right, latter to his left, and armed Marines and McMerison in front of him. The General spoke. "On behalf of human kind... I greet you and welcome you to earth."

Formalities. Khalon bowed slightly and said, "On behalf of... Uh, my kind I greet you. As well." Yeah, something like that. Hopefully the General missed the eyeroll.

"Where do you come from?"

Khalon blinked. Crash onto earth from Reptilian, not knowing how the heck you got into that craft - unmarked, craft at that - and the first important thing a human asks is where are you from? But he kept his temper down. A sigh and a response came from almost-clenched teeth. "Outer space."

The general nodded slightly and glanced at his men. "We know that, soldier. _where_ specifically?"

Intent eyes stared at him. Khalon looked uncomfortably from the general to a few people suspiciously. One man held an odd type of rifle. The rifle was different from the other mens' and was not clad in black and plastic. It was a shiny metal steel-like color. And the chamber... It was uncocked and the bolt was open. A suspicious vial. And the man suddenly turned and disappeared into the crowd of military men when he noticed the humanoid's eyeing. He narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. "Hey! Get back here!" Another step would be made, except a few score of weapons pointed right at him. The General suddenly was grabbed behind the line of soldiers despite meager complaints.

"C'mon men. Steady there. Don't frighten him. He's a soldier, also. Trained and all that..." The General brushed away any wrinkles from grabbing hands and he cleared his throat. Cross armed. "No use hiding it now." A finger tip, and a loud _pshhhht!_ The barrel of the metal gun slinked away once again as the smirking man withdrew. Any distracted soldier made ready his weapon again.

Khalon became angry. His eyes lit up and he growled. "What the heck are you doing?" He ripped out the now empty slim vial from his chest and threw it at the soldiers. "When will you humans get it?"

From somewhere, the sound of a gun fired. Except it wasn't the same airy fire and recoil of the previous gun. Semi-Auto fire. One bullet richoted off of the front faceplate of Khalon's armor. It left a nice dent, and flung and grazed across his arm. He attempted a lunge for behind the craft but tripped over the ladder and fell hard.

General angry-voiced. "Hey! Cut that crap out! It's enough to frighten the thing if you shoot something harmless at 'em." He weeded through the solders and grabbed the apparent disregard out. "YOU solder. Fall back and don't be so trigger happy." A glance around. "That goes for all of you. Just keep a good distance, but not too much. Don't want him doing anything drastic."

"Yeah. Drastic." Khalon resounded with a wave of coughing and rolling. He rolled right into the bottom of the ladder and it came down on the craft. It effectively snapped in two. His eyes went wide and he grappled vainly for where his pistol was. He tilted his head so he could get a look down. "Blastit..." Vision blurred. And finally, blackness.

"...Just make sure he is comfortable."

Voices. Khalon slowly opened his eyes and tried to raise his arm. He couldn't. A metal clasp kept his arm securely to the chair.

"Quick! Get the other one on!"

A stern-faced suited man did as told. After doing so, he glared at the thin lab-coated person. The man stepped into Khalon's blurred but recovering view and thrust a finger at the lab coat man. "I thought you said that the tranq would last longer."

The lab coat man stepped back from the finger. He tucked the clipboard in hand underneath his arm and adjusted his black-framed glasses. A nervous look. "I, uh, I did but... We haven't had it _tested_ on any human this big. I mean-"

Less blurring. Khalon recognized the other man from the barn. His sunglasses were nowhere to be found but the radio was tucked in his ear still. "Yeah whatever it is. Now get out of here."

A blink. "But, I gotta run tests on his blood and-"

Interruption. The man grabbed the clipboard and skimmed over it. His response was knowingly. "No. Remember what happened last time?." A frown. He flipped back to a page. "No wait... You'll come in handy."

The two jumped. 'Whatever it is' spoke. "I'm _not_ getting anything poked into me." Voice slightly drunk-sounding. "Over my dead body."

The man smiled slightly and looked at Khalon. "So it wasn't the farmer man. I guess I'll give him some mercy and extend the deadline for his overdue taxes."

Khalon moved his arms. They were held firmly against large metal cuffs. As for his head, a large neck-bind and other straps out of his view to keep him from thrashing about. At any rate, lucky for him he was sitting upright. Or at least he was. The lab-coated man came over, pressed a button on the floor with foot, and the chair jerked in a laying down position. Khalon tried to wiggled his arm free. It still didn't move at all. Suit-coat man pushed lab-coat aside and pressed another button. His arms drew out from their position. "There. That's better?"

Khalon glared at the man. "Better my foot up your butt." That made the man step back, but his look of indignation continued.

Lab-coat man rolled a tray of tools and such over and offered a slight forced chuckle and smile. "Well, I guess you can add _social abilities_ to that list, Mr. Walker."

"_Don't _ever call me that." The coated man readjusted his suit coat and looked off towards the door. He was about to speak but was interrupted.

"Ok, Mr. Walker. How about I call you that, or would you like knowing my name as well? Oh wait. You do. I saw you standing in that crowd of military men pleasingly overlooking my hide. I'm sure your heads will like the prize you caught."

Mr. Walker crossed his arms and lab-coat man readied a marked syringe. "Yes, and I'm rather proud of that fact. Do you have something against this?"

"Yes as a matter of fact. Tell me why I am here, and when I can leave?"

Lab-coat man meticulously swabbed the inside of Khalon's elbow with a cotton ball. The smell made Khalon shift his head away as much as possible. "Sorry. It's so you don't get infection."

Mr. Walker strolled to the opposite side of Khalon. "You can't leave."

Lab-coat man looked up from the tools on the small stainless steel table. "But, you can't just _keep _ the creature here. His kind might be looking for him. Though his means of getting here didn't look too advanced."

Mr. Walker kept his gaze on Khalon as he spoke. "They won't."

"What do you mean?"

Mr. Walker adverted his gaze. He stuck his hand out for the syringe. "Because. Wouldn't you think they would have left him with more than... A meager map, a worthless pistol, an empty canteen, and what he has on his body?"

The thought never occurred to Khalon. But he remained silent. The syringe was hesitantly place into Mr. Walker's hand and Mr. Walker went to work. "Don't worry. He _won't _ be going anywhere. Because... who would want to find him again?"

Though the needle stung sharply for a brief second, Khalon looked intently at Mr. Walker. "There wasn't anything else with me besides all that junk?"

Mr. Walker quickly withdrew the blood and handed it back to the lab-coat man. "No. Just your ship and that seat. I'm surprised as well, don't worry."

The lab-coat man took the now full syringe and capped the end. He placed it with the other tools. "Ok. Uh. So."

"So what?" Same Mr. Walker's reply. "Yeah yeah. I'll make sure they know about such a good job you did."

Lab-coat man frowned slightly. He just sighed and rolled the cart away. Under his breath he heard a "Just like last time. Nothing as usual."

"What was that? Did I hear you say something?"

Lab-coat man shook his head. "No. Just said I need to... Uh. Mine out as usual. His recollections."

Mr. Walker could had cared less. He was already out the door and gone. The solid _click_ noted a locking mechanicism. Lab-coat man quickly walked over to the door and peered out the small, angular glass window. He then went back to Khalon and stood at his feet. The lab-coat man looked Khalon over and sighed again. "Now I can actually get a good look at you without that creep breathing down my neck." He scratched his balding scalp and adjusted his thick glasses. "You are a remarkable subject... Wow. If I wouldn't know, I would think you were resurrected."

Khalon's vision had returned just about completely. He focused his eyes on the lab-coat man and said, "What?"

Lab-coat man smiled slightly and hurried to Khalon's head. "You know. Uh, resurrected from the ground. Bones and stuff put together."

Khalon's eyes followed the young man around until he could no longer see him in his line of sight. "Oh. No. I'm not from here." A pause. "If. That's what you were wondering."

The lab-coat man quickly began to sketch Khalon. He moved around Khalon in swift movements with clipboard and pencil in hands. "Oh yes." Sketch, sketch. "Where are you from?"

"Space."

"Well." Chuckle. "That's apparently what you told that General."

"What's his name again?"

"General McMerison. Credit going to him for finding you, really. That Walker won't get any if he tried for his life..." A soft snort. "Or at least I hope. Gah. I hate that Walker."

Khalon hmmmed. "I could see why. He seems a bit uptight." He looked at him. "Don't you think so?"

The man continued sketching for a moment. But suddenly stopped. He let out a quick laugh. Khalon blinked. "Yes?"

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. It's just..." He looked over the sketch momentarily and set it on the tray. "I can do that later. It's just that... I dunno. I've always loved archeology. I wanted to go into that but the government pulled me in here."

"Oh. They cheapskates?"

The man hehed. "Kinda. Well, I guess so - in a way. They got me on hacking. So if it wasn't for them I'd be serving time out there."

"Hacking? Then why are you poking away at some alien creature and not trying to help those gizzards keep their leaks up tight?"

"Well, somehow some plan for me got dropped and I was just brushed aside into the lab." He bit his lower lip and continued after a moment. "Why you want to know?"

Khalon attempted a shrug, but failed. The bonds had him tight. "Sometimes. It's better getting to know someone then getting them to be their. Uh. Enemy. If you know what I mean."

He shook his head. "No, I don't really know but I'll take your word for it." A suspicious look. "And, by wanting to get to know me you want to get _out_ I take it?"

"You're a good guesser."

"Guessing does come in handy with _very_ foreign objects." He sighed and fingered the clipboard. "So. Where in space are you from?"

Khalon remained silent. Lab-coat man prodded again. "Uh. Where are you-"

"I know what you said."

He back off and nodded. "Uh. Ok." He gestured towards the door. "I think I'd better get to my testing before Walker gets back."

"Alright."

The lab-coated man went back to the clipboard. He flipped a few pages over and wrote something. "So. Uh. You come back to me on that question?"

A pause. "Uh. What question?"

"Where are you from?" He taps the clipboard. "I gotta know that. 'Original destination of subject/object."

Khalon frowned. "Ok. I give up. Only if you get me out of here. I _have _to get away from this place."

"That's going to be impossible, I'm afraid." He shook his head and set the clipboard down again. "But..."

"But what?"

"It might be possible. If I get the right clearance I can bring you to the morgue and get you out there. There's a backdoor to that place but it's always locked. Only person I know has the key is Walker. But snowball's chance in hell I'll get that key."

Khalon responded immediately. "You got any tranquilizer?"

The lab-coat man looked over to the counter. Three vials of pinkish liquid rested on there. "Yeah, why?" He quickly looked back. "No. I can't do it. I'll be kicked for sure, and that Walker sure knows how to get what he wants. I'll be shut up for good."

Khalon sighed. "So there's no other way?"

"No. Can't go out the front door obviously because they're so uptight about searching. A disguise won't help. And all the emergency exits are locked and monitored. And the halls... They're monitored like you wouldn't believe. Except for the hallway right outside here and..."

The lab-coat man didn't respond for a moment. Khalon tried to 'help' him finish the sentence. "And what? Why isn't the hallway -" He glanced around. "And this room not monitored? Or unless your glasses are tapped."

He slipped off his glasses and shrugged. "No." He put them back on. "This area isn't monitored because they don't want any tapes to work their way to the outside. Could be disastrous. If someone gets hold of a tape of... You, for instance. The United State's sanity in general would go under."

Khalon pulled on the restraints on his arm. "Hey. At least it could be an excuse for you to get out of here. Mebbe start some grass-roots movement to get you out of here? Wait no. The government would sure to put a cork in you."

He shrugged. "Well, whatever. Only way is through Walker really. And he'll pointedly become suspicious from the start."

"Not if we use force. From what I've seen subordinates like to cower under pressure."

The lab-coat man looked at him confusedly. "Well. Uh. I just can't help it, see..."

"No. Not you." He pulled at the restraints. His tendons and muscles bulged. "You see, these restraints are getting slightly... Chafing."

He took a step back and raised his hands. "No. No, I can't do it. How would I even know you wouldn't _eat_ me?"

"Why would I eat the only possibly way out of here?"

He nodded. "Well. Yeah." He relaxed slightly. But only _slightly_. "But I can't do it."

"What've you got to lose besides your... Uh. _Earthship_?"

"...What?"

"You're screwed either way. It's either be cooped up here for the rest of your life or bust out of this overcrowded joint."

He forced a laugh and stopped suddenly. "Your not serious. Right? You mean, take me with you?"

He sighed and remained silent for a quick moment. "That's the only way I see it. Besides, I'm a dead-Reptilion for just _showing_ myself to humans."

"Reptilian?"

Khalon shut his eyes suddenly. Hard. "Crap. And also a _really _dead-_creature_ for just revealing where I am from."

"Well. Uh. Why wouldn't you-"

"Because. Your satellites aren't the quietest things in the universe. I'm a wanted man to begin with, and probably for the reason that I'm here."

"And that would be?"

"I don't know."

The lab-coat man nodded and looked out the door. "Well. I wouldn't mind leaving. I've never really liked it here."

"You've got it good here, trust me. From where I'm from a world not all hell-bent on itself is a pleasure."

"Well. Whatever but, we'd better work fast because-"

"Because what?"

A third voice. Walker's. He had entered unsuspectedly due to the lab-coat's man's current distraction and Khalon's meager field of vision due to the restraints. Walker shut the door firmly and entered the room. "I see that you've befriended the creature."

The lab-coat man jumped. "I-I." Stutter, stammer. "I was just, uh, checking on, uh." He scrambled to pick up the clipboard but was quickly knocked on his feet. "Gah!"

Walker withdrew his gun and cocked it. "You were _what_?"

Khalon, meanwhile, was working on the restraint on his arm. He pulled violently on it once, twice, and a third time. The third time the metal-braced straps flew apart and he got his arm free.

Walker, distracted. "Hey!" He went from the sprawled lab-coat man to Khalon and pressed the barrel up against his temple. "You. Stop. You realize your life is at the tip of my fingers? I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Do what?" Before Walker had the time to answer, he was stabbed with an adrenaline-sized vial and needle of the tranq in the back. Walker's eyes bugged and he dropped the gun in a recoil response and reached for the vial. It was just so that he couldn't reach it. "You're going to _pay _for that _McMerison_!"

Khalon blinked. Though a present possible life-threatening situation presented itself, he spoke out while feeling the head-brace. He got his other arm out. "Your the General's son?"

McMerison, Jr. grabbed the pistol and looked at it with a feared expression. He finally snapped out of it and pointed it at Walker. "I've always wanted to do that to him." He looked over. Hurried explanation. "Yeah, yeah. Illegitimate son. My legal name is Simone Peterson. Real is _Simon_. Or at least what I'm called in the hacker world."

Walker was already feeling the effects of the overdose. He tried to get to his feet despite the large objects sticking out of his back, but failed. He fell and mumbled. "I gwar... See. Uh... Can't. Get up."

Khalon got the head strap off. Now his waist. "Gosh I hate these things."

Simon tossed him a sheathed blade. It was resting on a table across from the chair-type table. "Here's your knife."

Khalon caught it and unsheathed it. He took a look at it before working on the leather. "What? How did you get it?"

Walker went quiet and silent. He did not move. Simon bent down and began to search Walker after setting the gun aside. "Your stuff was deposited in here with you. Objects that came with subjects do _not_ leave where the object is locked up."

Khalon got the waist straps off. He now worked on the leg straps. "So. Before we bust out of here before anyone finds out, you remember if any foreign objects are stashed in this room that could be of use - by some alien not from here?"

Simon shrugged. "I dunno." He pulled out a wallet and searched it. "Good. Credit card and social security card. Heh. Always been told not to carry those things. Hackers can get vital information and eventually money-"

Khalon got one leg free. The serrated blade worked well despite the chips. "Vital information. You mean get to some mainframe or something or get some file that can get us clearance for information?"

Simon stood up. He looked oddly at Khalon. "Uh, mebbe but why?"

Khalon got his last leg free. He slipped the knife into the sheath and slipped the sheath into his boot. Rubbing his hands and feet, he got up off of the table, though slightly wobbly. "Erase any evidence that I've been here so people higher up than human government can't figure out that I've been here."

"I can look into that. But now we might want to get moving..." Footsteps sounded out the door. And then it dawned on Simon. "His receiver!"

Khalon blinked. "What?"

Simon looked uneasily at the large, powerful-looking creature. "Uh. Yeah. His radio."

Khalon bent down and tore open Walker's shirt. Buttons flew. And the radio... He found that the wire went down his side to a small black carry-along receiver in his inner coat pocket. He ripped it out and put the receiver against the side of his head. Where his 'ear' is, of course. He quickly stood up and said, "Yeah. Everything's all right. Just checking on... Uh. The subject and Simon."


	3. Chapter 3

Khalon bent down and tore open Walker's shirt. Buttons flew. And the radio... He found that the wire went down his side to a small black carry-along receiver in his inner coat pocket. He ripped it out and put the receiver against the side of his head. Where his 'ear' is, of course. He quickly stood up and said, "Yeah. Everything's all right. Just checking on... Uh. The subject and Simon."

The footsteps outside slowed down. Khalon got a worried look on his face. He handed the radio to Simon and picked up Walker's body. The adrenaline-syringe bottle dropped to the floor and shattered. With that, he gestured with his snout at Simon. "Use the radio. Tell them everything's alright. They don't need to come."

"They're coming? Great!"

"Yeah but try and keep them off until I can hide the body and jump back on the table. And get a towel or something. Something big and sheet-like."

"Ok. Uh..." He pressed the speaker into his ear and cleared his throat. "Uh. Hello?" A pause. "Ok. Yeah, everything's alright. You can- No, everything is under..."

Khalon had ripped open a metal cabinet and shoved the body in it. He quickly grabbed a sheet and rushed over to the table. Jumping onto it, he lay flat on his back and spread the sheet over him. Simon pocketed the radio and slid the gun into the far corner of the room past several tables with miscellaneous bottles and tubes on racks. Right as the gun clacked against the wall, the door opened.

Simon quickly turned around. He kept his hand in the pocket with the radio. Three men rushed into the room with one carrying a sub machine gun. Simon glanced uneasily at the weapon. "Uh, everything is alright."

The one with the gun made a step forward but the one in the middle stopped him with an arm. All three eyed the sheet. "Is it dead?"

Simon shook his head. "Still alive. Still tranqed."

The third one craned his neck to get a good look. "It was tranqed?"

Simon went over to the nearest table and extracted a disposable latex glove. He slipped it onto his right hand and smiled slightly. "Well then. Next exam..."

The sub-machine gun said: "Exam?"

A nod. "Anal probe."

All three looked at each other. Simon looked at them oddly. "What? Don't you want to stick around for that?"

They backed out of the room. "Uh... No thanks," retorted one. "We got rounds to do."

Click. Footsteps leaving. Khalon suddenly sat up and made a face. "Quick thinking, but next time make sure you don't have to go through with it."

Simon gave a slightly embarrassed shrug. "Dunno what else to say."

Khalon tossed the sheet aside and jumped off of the table. "Did you get the key?"

Simon checked his pockets. "Aw, shoot. No." He began to go over to cabinet but Khalon beat him. Open, search, close. He slipped the keycard into a pocket of his pants.

"Got it. Let's go..."

After grabbing the few belongings Khalon possessed the room, they opened the door. The footsteps of someone passing by sounded. But no person seen. Khalon was the first to peek out. He looked left and right down the hall. A metal corridor - very sterilized looking and brightly lit. But no cameras. He looked back at Simon, who was listening to the radio. Simon looked up. "Clear?"

A nod. Khalon gestured. "Lead the way."

Simon stood there for a moment. He looked uneasy. Khalon stepped out of the doorway into the corridor and gestured again. "Better?"

Simon just stepped out and quickly went down the left side of the hallway. "Yeah..." More of a to-self response than anything. He stopped short at the end of the hall and peered left and right. Nothing. Khalon trailed closely behind him, glancing often down the opposite end. "Ok. Next stop is down this hall, and then into the door at the end of the hall."

They went down the adjoining hall and came to the door. Khalon glanced left and right uneasily. "This seems _too_ easy. I almost feel like we're being set up."

Simon smiled while huffing a laugh. He tested the handle of the door. Since it was unlocked, he opened it. "I was set up the day I was born."

Both entered the dimly lit room. Khalon shut the door quietly and strolled over to the wanted door. It was old and dusty looking, just as the room appeared to be. "Why would a _lab_ need a morgue?"

Simon was busy with locking the door that Khalon shut. "Well. You never know if a subject might die in the middle of captivity. Or if a subject is dead when he arrives. Lucky you didn't end up here."

Khalon brushed off the old looking keycard lock. He looked over his shoulder. "Is that a wish?"

Simon hrmed. "I dunno. Oh wait - the pistol. Will we need it?"

Khalon shook his head and slipped out the keycard. "Too late to get it now, I'd say. No use going... Heh. Down the hall. But I don't care. As long as we get out here I'll be a happy dinosaur."

"Heh. Well you're in good company. I hate it here too."

Khalon tried the keycard. The LED light bleeped red. He tried it again. Simon pointed. "Turn it over." Khalon turned the plastic card over and slipped it into the slot. Green. Click, and a creak.

"Good." Khalon pushed the door open and peered out. A field with woods bordering close by. "What the heck. Where are we?"

"I don't know either. Stupid gov people kept me locked up here and never told me where I was. Just work, work, work. Your lucky we don't lock you up, so you might as well act like your grateful."

Both stepped out into the field. The door was framed in the side of the hill. Underground. "Heh. They really like to keep things _low_."

A few minutes later they passed across the field and entered the thick, mature woods. The ground suddenly sloped up. Simon was struggling to keep up with Khalon's fast pace, so he offered they take a rest. "No. Can't stop," Khalon replied. He slowed his pace down. "If we stop its just that much shorter of time they can find us."

Simon caught up. "_If_. From my former hacker days, if your careful about erasing your trail you might get away unscathed. If not you'll have to move to another city. Or state for that matter."

"Really? Well then. I we got time I think. Those tranquilizers looked pretty lethal. I bet that Walker won't be waking for at least another ten hours. Mmm..."

"'Mmmm' what?"

Khalon rubbed his neck. "Bug."

"Oh."

The two continued on in silence for a while. The sloped crested up to the peak of the hill and the woods thinned slightly. The view of the valley was beautiful. Puffy, white clouds floated overhead, backed by blue sky and bordered with many mountains. Khalon signaled an arm to stop. Simon took a breather. "Wait a minute."

Simon blinked and looked at the valley. A slight smile formed under dark circles under his eyes. From his constant slight-frowning appearance, it looked like he hadn't seen much sun lately. "I know. Breathtaking, isn't it?"

Khalon's brow quirked. "Yes, but where are we?"

Simon scratched his head. "Tennessee mebbe? No. Not enough rocks."

Khalon continued onward. Simon followed after quickly. "Mmm. I wonder... No can't be."

"Can't be what?"

"Is this Colorado?"

"Well mebbe. Yeah I think so. Looks better than those pictures on the internet. I was thinking of movin' here just to get away from the govvies. You know... I heard that -"

"Mmm. I hope its still here,"Khalon said to himself. "Let's go..." He looked up towards the sky and pointed roughly westward. "That way."

Simon gave a questioning look. Khalon didn't catch it because his eyes were on the downward slope. "What's still here?"

Khalon stopped and looked around at the surrounding mountain range. More mountains, clouds, and woods. A pond off in some valley to the left, and an odd shaped mountain in the distance. Odd not that it is misformed - just the top doesn't look natural. The surface appeared to slope on the top at a near horizontal angle. "Lavadome Two."

Simon shielded his eyes from the filtered sunlight. "Lavadome _what_?"

Khalon glanced at Simon. He averted his jaw for a moment and sighed. "Might as well tell you..."

Simon continued to gaze out at the distanced mountain top. "I got time. I guess. Unless we want them to catch us. Tell me while we walk. No wait. ...Walk _where_?"

Khalon pointed. "Lavadome Two. If that's it. Hopefully it is... It's a lot different from the pictures."

The two continued onward. "Pictures? In a textbook or something?"

"Yeah. But on a computer. Since my relatives are prominent in the government back at home, I had access to a sort of database. Under supervision no doubt. I was just a meager child when they showed me photos of it... I remember it was smoother looking." He looked up from the ground through the trees. "And larger."

Simon sighed and chuckled. "That's because we're probably miles and miles away."

"No. I mean, it didn't look like it was crumbled."

"Oh."

The hill downward was a little more bearable due to its more flat slope; the end of the 'L' of the hill connected to the mountain turned into a low pass going into the open flat area to the north. A large lake was tucked at the end of the South-Westerly to North-Easterly valley. Miscellaneous rivers and streams flowed into the valley and into the large lake. Both continued downwards towards the floor of the valley/field area to where the valley lied. Simon looked behind his shoulder occasional while Khalon continued to look onward.

When they came onto the field, Simon could no long contain himself. Various emoted expressions had projected from his thin feature - mostly mixed emotions. Khalon hadn't looked back in a while so he did not notice. "Uh. Khalon?"

Khalon glanced back. The silence seemed to distract the alien and so the voice caught him off guard. "Yes?"

Simon looked to the thin grass and flowers for a brief second. "What is it like on your home planet?"

No answer for a moment. Simon often looked up expectantly at him. Khalon responded by the time they had crossed the field and entered the forest surrounding the valley again. "My home planet is very similar to this planet."

The slope of the hill was less steep than the preceding slope. This gave Simon a chance to talk more instead of trying to constantly catch his breath. "As in... Trees, hills, mountains... Flowers?"

"Something like that."

"Is it the same size as earth, though?"

Khalon frowned. "I think so. I've never really examined that really. Mostly because Earth isn't looked highly upon so my knowledge of it would be useless. Unless I would mysteriously wind up here for no apparent reason..."

"Like you did."

"Yeah."

Simon chose his next words carefully. "Khalon... When we get off of Earth... Will we go back there?"

Khalon looked back. The balding man, still clothed in lab coat with thick glasses, seemed to strike deeply in Khalon. Here he was with possibly no legally existing family - at least non that could care about him - no real home, and no future. Except for being stuck in a lab for who knows how long. "I think that question will be answered once we get to that mountain." Simon simply nodded and went quiet. Khalon looked back at the man. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

Now it was Khalon's turn for questioning. "Simon... why don't you like it here?"

He shrugged and looked towards the pond. They were heading around the beginning of the small mount that lied south-east of them. "The government hates me, really."

"Really? So you can't just make amends in any way?"

"Oh yeah. But only if I serve jail time. For what I've done I could be in prison about twenty years or so. Or more. But that's just my guess. I just don't wanna be cooped up in some cement and steel hell-house and come out when I'm past my fourties."

Khalon nodded. The surroundings were sure a good relief from an enclosed metal building in the ground. More like a hole in the ground, really. Both sunk into their own thoughts as they continued along.

Ethan made it successfully through that school day and had gone through pretty much unnoticed to his joy. He left the bus without looking back, and almost immediately went for the shed. Only with one problem though - it was locked.

"Uncle...!"

He barely had time to get the words out. His Uncle had followed him outside from the small ranch house. "They took it away. And whatever was in there."

Ethan blinked. "What? Where'd they take him? Is it OK?"

The Uncle raised both hands. "No, no." A sigh, and a thrust fo hands in pockets. "None of this happened. You didn't drag that craft back into me shed, and there wasn't any_thing_ in there."

"But there was! I saw it and him!" And he bit his lower lip.. "And... talked to him."

"No..." Uncle Henery shook his head and sighed again. More exasperated than last time; Apparently he could care less about it, or else because of other reasons. "_None_ of this happened. It _never _did. _Nothing_ landed in my field, and you were doing other chores the whole time. Got it?"

"Oh..." Ethan finally got it. "Well. What would they do if-"

"Ethan. You can't tell anybody. Not a living soul. If they do then..." He kicked a rock with his foot and looked from the house to the barn, and to Ethan. "They'll take it all away."

Ethan blinked again, and huffed. "Why though? They can't do that!"

"They will. And I'm already in enough trouble with those taxes on the house I wasn't able to pay." A condescending look. "Please Ethan. You can't tell anyone about this."

"Ok, but where is it?"

"The ship?"

"No. It."

"I dunno." He glanced past Ethan and nodded slightly. Reluctantly, though. "And I could give a dang."

The glance made Ethan look behind him. Two men appeared from apparently nowhere. Government people. They sported black slacks and sport coat, with a black tie and the trademark radio-in-ear. The one on the right was the first to speak. "That's right, farmer. None of this happened." Both approached Ethan. Ethan took a step back and look at his uncle.

"What? Who are they?"

The one on the left spoke for Ethan's uncle. "We're with the government. And-"

"I could tell. I'm not dumb. Where is it?"

The one on the left sighed and looked to the one on the right. The right one spoke. "It and the craft have been taken to a secure location. They're safe, don't worry." He stuck both hands in his pockets and walked around Ethan to Henry. "We need to take him in for questioning."

Henrey responded curtly. "You don' have t' ask me. Jus' don' hurt 'im."

"We won't. I promise."

Ethan took another step back and looked behind him. Apparently a car had been parked over on the side of the house from view, with two other agent-types over by the car. The sedan was fairly large and was colored black. _How stereotypical. _But his thoughts ran quickly to other things. Such as, literally, to run away. Before he had a chance to step away, a strong grip formed on his shoulder. "Come with us please."

Ethan looked over to the hand and up to the voice. He was pushed to walked and he responded wordlessly. The agent nearest to him by the car opened the passenger door in the rear and he was placed somewhat roughly into the car. Though he was outnumbered, spite grew up through his throat. "Gosh, you could just ask."

Three of the four agents got into the car. From what could be seen through the darkly tinted windows, the fourth walked around towards the front of the house. The car was quickly started - doors locked - and they were soon off onto the chip and tar road. Ethan constantly craned his neck to see where that one agent went to but he was lost from view. "What's he doing there?"

The driving agent looked into the rear view mirror at Ethan. "Tying up loose ends."

"Loose ends? Like _what _kind of loose ends?"

"If you were caring or a nephew, wouldn't you want to know where your nephew is?"

"Well yeah."

"There you have it."

Silence settled into the roomy sedan. The black leather seats were rather smooth; so much that Ethan had to keep sitting up. The agent next to him looked over several times. He finally had enough. "Can't you sit still?"

His remark made the agent in shotgun look back momentarily. Ethan grunted. "It's not my fault it's hard to sit up on these seats." The continued to look at Ethan. Ethan decided to simply stop fighting the seat and slouch. But though he did, the agent kept staring at him. "What?"

The agent sighed and glanced out the window. Ethan frowned and did the same as well.He watched the surrounding soft-wooded willows and trees roll by, occasionally flickered by a creek. And then he got an idea.

"Uh... Sir?"

The driver looked in the rear view mirror. "Yes?"

"I hate to bring this up now but..."

"What?"

"I have to use the bathroom."

"You can hold it."

He bit his lower lip and looked out the window. "But... I _really _have to go."

"Hold it."

"I'm serious. I think I might wet my pants."

The car suddenly screeched to a halt. Ethan was sure to play along and act like he was in pain from the sudden stop. "Woah, watch it!"

The driver stared back at Ethan for a moment and gestured to the agent sitting in the passenger seat. "Watch him."

Ethan blinked. "Your serious."

"That beast could be out there." He moved down his glasses and looked at Ethan. Both eyes were two different colors for a second until he blinked. The car doors unlocked and the other agent got out. "What?"

Ethan shook his head and got out of the car. "Nothing."

Ethan walked over to the lightly wooded area bordering the creek. The agent watched him very closely; every move didn't escape those eyes behind those black sun glasses. He glanced at the agent's attire and made a face. _How typical. _After he had finished his business he turned around. "I'm done."

The agent stood there with arms crossed. He just stared at him. Ethan shifted nervously and said, "I'm... done."

"Oh yes, I heard you."

"...Ok. So." He moved to go back to the vehicle but the agent blocked his way. "Um. Shouldn't I go back to the car."

The agent sighed and thrust both hands into his pockets. "Ethan. There's something that I have to tell you."

Ethan took a double glance at the car. He just nodded and looked over his shoulder. The driving agent was apparently fixing something in his eye. A contact mebbe? The agent's movements suggested apparent regard for the eye and he was conversing heavily with the other agent. "Ethan, do you remember... anything?"

That distracted him. "Remember what?" He looked at the car and pointed. "Are you talking about that agent's eye problem?"

The agent didn't look back. He kept his eyes focused on Ethan, as if knowing of other plans that Ethan had in mind. "Lets not mind that. He needs a new pair."

Ethan nodded slightly. The agent gestured to the car. "Let's go."

Ethan glanced back at the woods again. "And I wouldn't try that if I were you. I have a long-range tazor on me."

Once inside the car rolled onward quickly. The driver rubbed his eye and said, "What took you so long, Ethan?"

"Like I said, I had to go."

A smirk. Ethan could see it in the mirror clearly. That was an odd change from his normal bland expression. The agent quickly dropped the smirk, though, when he noticed Ethan looking. Ethan then sighed and looked back out the window.

Khalon stepped a little too close by the riverbed. "Drat!" His foot sunk into the soft mud and went up past his ankle. He pulled his foot out and shook it off. "Gosh, these are the only boots I have."

Simon hehed. "Let's travel nearer to the wall of this valley."

"Good idea."

The valley meandered in a shallow arc up to a junction where the trailing vein of the main river met up with a second vein. The woods continued to border several hundred yards away from the actual river; Khalon and Simon stuck to the shadow of the trees. "You never know who might be out here."

Simon looked behind his shoulder again. "I hope there wasn't anyone at that dam."

Khalon glanced back at Simon. "There was a dam by that lake?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Great. I hope there isn't anyone around here." Khalon looked up the side of the hill. "If this is some kind of park or forest preserve?"

"Possibly. I bet it is. If it isn't then Colorado must have a really bad way of preserving land."

"If they've got a dam then I bet they like to. And to preserve wildlife. What other way would you encourage the restocking of fish?"

"How do you know all this?"

Khalon smirked. "We in the Dinosaucer army are trained extensively. If we get lost or wacked out of orbit, its nice to know where your headed."

"Yeah..." Simon scratched his scalp. "So about these Dinosaucers... Didn't you say you were the head of some task force?"

"Yep."

"If you were in such an important position than why did they drop you?"

"You know how governments work."

"Yeah. That's true."

The followed the main path of the river. The canyon stretched on straight past the intersection of the rivers. The sun was raging overhead towards the west, and a cool breeze flowed through the canyon from the west and brought light, sweet scents from the woods and various plants growing in the area. The two conversed as they continued along.

Simon looked skyward and trailed his eyes to the top parts of the valley. "So what exactly did that task-force do?"

"It was the replacement for the one to deal with Ghengis Rex and his minions on earth. Lucky for us that was the end of the war. At least I think so."

"What do you mean? I thought that the original task force was to suppress the Tyrranos on earth. And the new team was for-"

"Those small pockets of Tyrranos uprisings, yes."

"But, the war."

"The war didn't actually end. Whoever was behind Ghengis Rex had other things in mind. As far as the clues I've picked up have."

"Like what?"

"From what I last remember the Dinosorcerer and Sorceress were really depressed for whatever reason. They seemed to withdraw well before any major events ended... Celebrations. The status promotion of an officer or other Dinosaucer man. Even their own birthdays."

"Them being the leaders of the Reptilians?"

Khalon shrugged. "Something like that. I think. Before I left for here, I vaguely remember details about my Aunt explaining to me about how things were changing for the worse. Something about conspiracy, and the newly developed system of Elders." He paused for a moment and sighed. "And something about a trusted official being quickly replaced. No. It was an Elder that was replaced. The old one was a good friend of my Aunt's and Uncle's... The new one was disliked greatly."

"And your Aunt and Uncle are whom?"

"Oh! Sorry. They are the Dinosorcerer and Dinosorceress."

Simon swatted away a fly. "So if your Aunt and Uncle used to have prominent positions, would that make your father and mother some high-ranking Reptilians too?"

Khalon hesitated in response. "I... I'm not sure." He waved a hand. "At any rate I've not been in the spotlight due to my Aunt and Uncle raising me part of the time."

"But this Allo. Could you ever think he's your father?"

Khalon responded before Simon could finish his sentence. "Allo isn't my father. I honestly don't who he really is, and as of right now I could care less."

Simon went quiet for a moment. Khalon looked back and sighed. A bit irritated. "I'm not mad at you. It's complicated."

"Try me." A smile. "I'm a hacker."

"Somehow or another a rumor got out that I was the son of Allo since I took his place after he disappeared. By now most of the other original task-force members were long gone - some disappeared mysteriously too while one or two retired because they got fed up with the whole war. It all eventually boiled down to new members replacing the original task-force members. The rate at which most of them disappeared was enough to get the interest of the general public and the Elders. A thorough search was done and for some reason they pointed fingers at the new task-force members. And especially me. They claimed that I was 'Inciting hate against the matured members due to experience differences marred by jealousy.' My response was 'Me? Jealous? When have I ever been? I've worked long and hard for what I've gotten to right now!' Of course they ignored me." He frowns. "I remember now. I was put on trial... And after..." He rubbed his cheekbone. "I was thrown in the pod by someone and sent away."

While Khalon talk Simon listened intently. Even after he spoke Simon was silent. "Mmm, I see. And you have no idea who chucked you in a pod and sent you on your merry way?"

"Nope. I also have no idea why I was put in the pod and sent to earth." His pace slows down as thought creases his brow. "And before that happened... Vague, fuzzy memories. Of something. A lab room. No, a room that is black-tiled with lots of bright lights focusing over me."

"What kind of lights were they?"

"Kind of a crystal blue color."

Simon stopped. Khalon stopped short too, but in surprise only. "What is it?"

The corner of his lip twitched. "Wait a minute. Dark tiled room with bright crystal blue lights."

"I dunno." Khalon laughed. "It's probably just me... waking up in the hospital after I was born."

"No no no... I remember that too. Something like it at least. I was facing the ground and I could see reflections of lights on the dark... tiled... floor."

Khalon's eyes looked off towards the river for a moment. "Eh, just coincidence."

"You never know. You got a scar on your back?"

Khalon blinked and bit his lower lip. "I did but I think it was from a battle. I remember getting hit hard with a knife butt or something and was knocked unconscious." He shook his head and started to walk on.

Simon didn't start walking. He was looking up towards the top of the hill. Khalon turned around and said rather loudly, "You coming?"

Simon motioned with a finger to his lips and pointed up the hill. Voices. Of children and adults. Khalon began to search the forest line, the river, the opposite side, and where they were. The gradual rise of the hill was abrutly stopped by a jagged boulder sticking out of the wall. It was large enough to hide from view, and thus they went to it. "Let's hide behind that."

Simon followed. "Alright..."

The voices continued to get louder, and louder, and louder, until it almost sounded like they were right above that rock. The rock that was the only shelter between the surrounding peoples knowing about Simon and Khalon for the moment. Khalon pressed himself up against the cold stone with one knee and hand on the ground. His other hand rest over his crouched leg. Simon did something similar but he was standing. He tried to get a peek over the edge. Once he did, he immediately ducked low. "They're _right_ there," he whispered.

"Teacher! Teacher! I hear somefin' whisperin'!"

A kindly voice responded. "That's just the wind, darling."

"No! I heard it! It said 'We're right here!'"

The adult voice did not respond again. The other voices, as it turned out to be children, faded. Khalon was the one who peeked this time. His eyes scanned the trail cut into the slope and discovered no one was there. And then-

"Boo!"

A child jumped out from behind a second rock on the boulder. Khalon lunged back in surprise and fell on his bottom, resounding with a gasp. They had been discovered.

The two year old pointed a finger at accusingly. "Yowsah arw a monthster!"

Khalon glanced over at Simon. Simon just lay huddled up against the rock with his jaw open. Khalon raised his brows at Simon. Simon finally moved... He stood up carefully and forced a chuckle. "Run along now, little one." Feeble attempt.

"No! Yousa monster. I'm gonna tell teach! Immagonnatell!"

Simon gestured. "It looks like teach is going to lose you if you don't find her soon! Quick! Go while you can still find her!"

"Kaly?" Female adult voice.

Khalon hurtled himself up against the stone. Simon jumped out and picked up a small stone, pretending to examine it. 'Teach' approached.

"I'm sorry sir... She's a little adventurous one." She picked the child up and chuckled. "Good day..."

Khalon muttered under his breath. "Close one."

"I 'eard dat, meestar monstar!" Came the reply, freakishly.

Simon _really_ forced a chuckle. It was bland. "Heheheh. Funny. Kids..."

Khalon jumped out from beneath the rock when Simon had motioned. "She's gone?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah. Gone as good. That was close."

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Said what?"

"I said 'Close one' to myself. Didn't you hear that?"

"Well... No. What are you saying?"

"I'm beginning wonder if dark tiles and blue lights are more than vague memories."

Simon, confused. "Its not... everyday two different creatures have similar dreams. Or yet one lands randomly on another's..."

"That little girl somehow knew what I said. That's really creepy. _And_ you were _much_ much closer to me than her. She was at least seven feet up there and you were about four feet away from me."

"Turn around for a minute. I wanna see if you've got the scar too."

"I got a scar on my back but its from a _fighting _blade."

Though reluctant, Khalon turned around. He unclasped his light armor and revealed his back. "Yeah. This looks _very_ simular to mine."

Khalon: "Mebbe humans' and Reptilians' skin works the same."

"I dunno. But what I do know is that they are about the same size."

Khalon narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth once but closed it instantly. He retried. "Implants...?" He shook his head. "No it can't be... They're outlawed on both Reptilian and Tyrranos sides!"

"You mean, chips implanted?"

"No. These are more than chips. Outlawed on both sides. Reptilians and Tyrranos!" He set his jaw. "Nah. Probably just a mere coincidence."

"Mebbe if we got an X-Ray we could find out for sure." He sighed. "No can't do that. Your not human."

"Yeah. That's one downside to falling randomly down on the last planet I would ever think would happen." He continued on. "Let's keep going."

Simon followed with a short laugh. "Alright."

The two continued traveling down the valley in the shade of the woods and the cool of the day. The sun was just beginning to set over the valley, adding colorful crimson to the already colorful countryside. Simon kept a slight smirk, shrugging off their previous conversation, while Khalon resided to himself in deep thought.

The four traveled in absolute silence as the car trudged on. The only noise that permeated the comfortable and quiet cabin was the soft hum of the electric motors and sound of rubber on pavement. But comfortable Ethan could not feel. He wanted to be resting where there was noise. Noise that he recognized, and though it might have been loud and annoying in those harvesting mornings, he at least could know that he was safe home. Reality came back and he jolted from a slight doze. An enclosed airport came into view, with a single eight windowed private jet ready to take off. A small white tower jutted up from the cleanly cut grass, tower having various lights and antennae. Across from the tower was a hanger and a sort of makeshift office made out of several mobile homes. Classy indeed. Tax dollars at its finest besides the goons who just occupied space in the car. The car passed through two checkpoints, two gates, and was homefree inside the air strip. The jet started as soon as the car touched airport pavement.

"We're here," Announced driver. The car was parked close to the doors of the jet. An agent open the door for Ethan. "Please follow me into the jet."

Ethan followed cautiously. The multi-million dollar jet engines whirred idly just feet away out on those wings. Lucky for him those handy steps in the door made it easy to get in. He was seated across from another agent looking character and was told to fasten his seat belt. "This baby's new. She can fly like no tomorrow and fly like your on a cloud."

The first kindly words Ethan has heard since before he left home. And a few at school, possibly, from piteous classmates who want to show him around. He did fasten his seatbelt, nevertheless, and made himself comfortable. Tried to. _More leather?_ He gave up the annoying process of sitting up straight and just slumped in the seat. The engines outside the cabin whirred to life and various radio references were called up from the cockpit. The jet engine then took off. Once in the air the agent sitting across from him offered him a bottle of water. "You look tired. Long day?"

Ethan took the bottle hesitantly and fingered the paper label. "Yeah. I guess." This agent seemed different from the other bafoons. He was older, in his mid fourties, with greying hair and kindly grey eyes. He flipped a newspaper open and held it up for himself to read.

"So where are you from?"

Ethan unscrewed the cap from the bottle and sniffed the water. Ozone-y. "I was born in Colorado."

"Colorado? You like that state?"

"It's not as good as... Alabama, but hey. It's 'home'."

A hum emoted from behind the newspaper briefly, and he flipped down the newspaper. His southern drawl came out especially with his name. "I'm Mr. Karle, by the way. And you must be..."

Ethan fingered the bottle cap. Shouldn't this agent know the answer? "Ethan."

"Ethan. Well. I'll make sure your comfortable. Your ride here was fine?"

Ethan shrugged. It could have been worse. "Yep."

Karle examined Ethan for a moment. He did not wear any sunglasses. They were stashed away in that black sport coat somewhere. "I see. If you need anything just ask for me, OK?"

"Ok."

The plane continued to trudge onward. Like Karle said, the ride was pretty nice and adequate. Ethan kept his gaze outside at the clouds darting by. Like bullets. Bullets?

"What exactly is going to happen to me?" Manners. "Mr. Karle?"

"We're just going to do some simple questioning, that's all. Nothing big."

Ethan stared at the newspaper blocking his view. "If its just simple questioning, then why am I going to travel _away_... Isn't there just some-"

Though Ethan's tone was a bit cautious and concerning in the way of attitude, Mr. Karle interrupted him. "Security reasons, Ethan. Who knows what else is out there that might just want to get you?" He flipped down a corner of the newspaper and smiled slightly. "Don't worry. This'll be over soon."

He just nodded. He slumped deeper into the chair and stared out at the window again.

Note: Lavadome II is located in Cement Mountain, Colorado

"Have you checked that radio lately?"

Simon dug it out of his oversized labcoat pocket. He pressed the earpiece to his ear and frowned. "Nothing."

Khalon looked up towards the peak of the mountain. With a sigh, he adds, "This is it."

"Are you sure?" Simon stepped up onto a small boulder and looked out across the land. "It's been over twenty-five years since the Dinosaucers used this place."

"Mmm. What Earth year is it?"

"Twenty-fifteen."

"From the photos I've seen this is it. It has to be. If it isn't then we might as well go back."

"You said you had extensive training?"

Khalon began to walk around with careful eyes looking at the slope of the mountain. "Yeah. More than the average because I was in the task-force. I learned about _what_ the original task force actually did, and _where_ there base of operations was. The more and more we walked on the more I recognized this place and I knew it to be Colorado."

Simon smirked. "Surprising isn't it? We just crash landed in the same state you wanted to get to."

Khalon walked on towards the tree line and entered the woods. He clicked the flashlight he had taken from Simon. "Yeah."

Simon followed Khalon. Since he obviously did not know the area, he just kept to keeping an eye on where Khalon was and an ear on the radio. Khalon searched on for quite some time even until the last faint rays of the sun had dissipated. Simon looked towards the west and remarked: "Beautiful. Last time I might see it."

"Not if we can't find the stupid entrance." Khalon grunted and kicked a lone pebble on the needle-infested ground.

A grin. "Heh. Wouldn't that be dandy if you could just kick some random rock like in the movies in anger, and it would all work out?"

"Heh... Yeah." They walked on for a few more yards until they came upon a large stone. The stone was very tall and acted as a foundation to keep the overhanging trees, roots, and dirt from sliding and possibly causing a mini-landslide. "Now this looks familiar. I never got to see a photo of the entrance but I got to know what the heck the door looks like."

Simon approached the almost flat stone. "Press something?" He pushed his palm against the surface of it. "Or mebbe..." He kicked his foot around the bottom but ended up with nothing. "Is there some kind of identity check system to get you in?"

Khalon stood there with arms crossed. "Mebbe. Worth a try." He placed his hand on the flat surface. It was cold and hard. Nothing happened. "Great."

"Try it in different spots."

Khalon tried putting both hands on the rock. Every time was unsuccessful. "I don't think a security system would feel that naturally real..." His eyes wandered. At the bottom edges were various small jutting rocks sticking up from the ground. "Mebbe if I stomp around it'll work." He tried stepping on one stone. Nothing. And the next. And the next one to that. Soon enough he came to the end, and was about to give up when Simon started to place two feet on two different stones. Khalon then idly pressed two other stones in a vain attempt... All the stones moved slightly and a creaky sound came from what it appeared to be inside the stone. Khalon took notice and pressed hard square in the center of the rock. A door suddenly gave way slightly. He had to lean with his entire body weight on it plus pushing with his feet to get it open. The door swung open and the anthrosaur stumbled inside. Simon followed after quickly. "Was it an order we pressed it?"

"I guess so. I dunno." Khalon shut the door and the rusty locks and mechanichisms sealed the door. Now they were in total darkness. "Flashlight." Click. The dim light illuminated the large passageway. The passageway had been cut into whatever rock and dirt was there evidently. There were chisel marks along the entrance passage; this eventually was covered by braces and supports to hold the dirt and rock in place as the tunnel went on; and finally the braces were plated with metal for walls. The passageway opened up to a second passageway circling around the main cavernous room; That passageway opened open completely in three areas to the main cavernous room. They went through the second passageway and into the main room. The flashlight could only shine so far. Darkness prevailed at the end of the flashlight beam. Upon entering, the two were met with a short and wide cylindrical structure in the center of the room. This structure was about two feet high and concrete colored. A smaller whiteish circle rested in a frame in the larger cylindrical structure. The center white circle was raised with a large number of small permanently mounted clamps along the tip of the edges. The white circle had walls of metal. Directly above this object was a sort of pod that appeared one could sit in. A control panel with dust-coated screen lie on a post connected to the chair in the pod. The pod was connected to a sort of arm and had all sorts of hydraulic tubing running from the forearm to the main arm and eventually up to the spherical shaped object up high above.

Khalon shone the flashlight but the distance was too much. He then aimed it to the surrounding area on the floor. Dozens of screens connected to even more equipment ran about the inner circumference of the enormous room, save for those three entrances connecting from the circular passageway around the main room. Several doors branched off from the circular passageway to who knows-what. The air was thick, old, and stale, and in some places there were rocks and dirt on the floor from the ceiling up high.

"Tidy looking bunch, eh?" Khalon commented. Simon just shrugged.

There were two groups of metallic doorsways; One had about four doors, and the other three. The doors were evenly spaced apart except for the three other doors. Those doors were located on the opposite side of the passageway across the main room. Two of the doors were placed normally like the ones opposite the large room, but the third was offset. It was placed as if the passageway continued on in a straight line, and was angled in perspective to the circling passageway. This door was also slightly smaller than the others and had a power bolt symbol on the door, and a manual crank of some sorts.

"Must be power," Simon said, tapping the symbol. He tried the crank but it didn't budge. "You try it. I'm not too good in the muscle department."

Khalon handed the flashlight to Simon and approached the slightly rusting door. He grabbed firmly on the two handles and turned the crank forceably. It creaked and groaned like it hadn't been used in many, many years. The two bars running in opposite sides of the door moved when the crank was turned. The door suddenly moved inward a few inches, creaking always, and Khalon was able to slide it into the wall. It slid with great effort. "I hope they got oil around here. Don't know if I could do that that much."

"Apparently you won't have to if we get any power online." Simon took the lead this time with flashlight. The narrow corridor led to a small but surprisingly clean room. No dirt or debris on the ground. Facing opposite to the entrance was a large cylindrical object tucked partially into the wall with it laying parallel to the wall. Two large hatches were locked down on it, and several lines of vents ran about it and on the hatches. Simon shone the flashlight elsewhere in the room. A large electrical-looking box was mounted in the wall. It had a large switch, with a sort of screen on the wall next to it. A single button lie next to the screen.

"This stuff is waaaay outdated." Khalon motioned for the light to be shown on the screen. "I remember talking to a tech officer... He said the little red button next to the screen always did the trick."

"You do the honors."

"Alrighty." The button was pressed. The screen suddenly flashed a dark green and a small meter popped up in the upper right corner. Some text in Reptilian popped up next to it with an outline of a battery. "Here we go. Should come up soon, mebbe." The meter fluctuated from empty, to full, and went still at the last bar. "Great. I hope that's enough to start the power system."

"What kind of system is it?"

"Fusion. Old fashioned kind. Apparently they must have rigged it from an old spaceship engine... That," Khalon said, pointing to the greenish cylindrical object. "Is _definitely_ Dinosaucer space-ship grade."

Simon moved the flashlight beam to the electrical box. "So you just move that switch and the baby comes to life?"

"Mebbe." Khalon moved the switch to apparently was the 'on' position. Lights suddenly shone through the vents in the cylindrical object. The whitish-blue haze was enough to lighten the room. Simon pocketed the flashlight and grinned.

"Behold, its alive!"

The screen flickered again and information started to scroll on the screen. Khalon looked at it oddly. "Been a loong time since this has been run. It'll take a while for the batteries to charge up... If they work. Otherwise we'll just have to hope the generator stays online." He tapped a claw on some lettering on the lower part of the screen and a window popped up. "All these boxes represent... The different circuits."

Simon examined the screen. "Is this in your language?"

"Yep. Reptilian. Old-style though. The new Reptilian is what gives those on my home planet their distinguishing accent... Kinda annoying if you ask me."

"You mean it's been changed ever since the original task-force left Earth?"

"Apparently so." Khalon pressed some button on the screen. "That one's to turn all the circuits on. Should mean there's lights now."

And lights indeed were turned on. Something in the electrical box clicked, and emitted a constant whirr with the end result being lights turning on in the room. Both Khalon and Simon had to cover their eyes.

"Gosh that's bright!" Simon shut his eyes hard and felt for the wall. "I guess that's what you get for being in the dark."

Khalon was squinting. "Yeah. I guess."

It took the two a few minutes to actually be able to open their eyes partially. Once they were able to really see fine they left the room and went to the cavernous room. The lights revealed that the ceiling appeared to be open to the outside; but no air or whatever blew into the room. Just an array of stars and the moon shining overhead. Khalon looked up and around. "I hope that thing isn't really open."

Simon climbed up onto the whitish circle in the center of the room and hopped up into the small pod. "Guess there's only one way to find out!" He jiggled the joystick on the control panel and the arm connected to the pod moved. "Woah. Neat." The pod was maneuvered around some catwalk and up to the ceiling.

Khalon, on the other hand, was busy with the computers. He went to the largest screen in the room and reached underneath the large keyboard. Click. The screen glowed to life. "What's up there?"

"Just a giant screen." The 'screen' was actually a series of smooth metal plates connected in a wide semi-hemisphere shape. But some of the plates were missing, and dirt and rock showed through. The shadow of the small pod and arm was cast onto the ceiling. He looked over the edge and was met by a bright streaming light. A bright light emitted from the spherical object above where the arm of the pod connected to. He began to move the pod down. "It must be some kind of way to view the outside."

The large screen went black after the first glow and suddenly scrolled text like the small screen in the power room. The text was in Reptilian and was a glowing green. "Ancient technology." The text stopped scrolling and some sort of menu screen came up. "Sort of."

Simon was having a little trouble, on the other hand. The pod suddenly jolted to a stop. He tried moving the pod again with the joystick. "Hrmm. This might need some work." He tried again. It finally jolted free with a trailing of dust falling from the joint in the arm. "That doesn't look good..."

"Woah." Khalon was typing something on the computer. "A whole record log of what the original task-force did."

Simon hopped out of the pod once aground. "Really?" He approached the screen and frowned. "Still in Reptilian. I'm gonna have to learn that some time..."

Khalon pressed a button on the keyboard. "Here." The screen flickered into English. "That better?"

"Much. Go to the end of the logs."

"Alright." Another button was pressed. The last log opened up. Khalon scrolled through it and went to the bottom. "Looks like Teryx wrote this one. I thought Allo did all the log keeping since he was the head of the group."

"Teryx? Who's... he?"

"She. She was a tech officer. One of two I believe... I think she worked more with the computer systems than mechanical stuff." Khalon skimmed through the text and frowned. "Hrm."


	4. Chapter 4

Simon caught the expression. He looked towards the screen and read through it. "What's the matter?"

Khalon pointed to a paragraph. "Read here."

It read:

_Earth time September 07 1989._

_Allo has mysteriously disappeared again. That fool. I should have never trusted him. Well I don't care about him anymore. We'll be leaving soon shortly and I'll be gone from this forsaken outpost..._

Simon skimmed down to the paragraph Khalon pointed to.

_...We've all agreed to keep silent about the Secret Scout incident. We just want to get home and get out of any attention it sounds like we've been getting back home. Home? No, it doesn't sound like home anymore. Things have changed a lot since before and during the War..._

Khalon placed both hands on the sides of the keyboard and sighed. "I'm going to have to do more reading..." He rubbed his eyes and stood up straight. "After I get some sleep."

Simon looked off at the other equipment. "Yeah, and after we get some food. We've traveled for about, what, seven or so hours? I'm starved!"

"Yeah. Let's check to see if they've got any rations left."

"You mean, dry, crusty break-like substance with nasty tasty paste?"

"I dunno. Rations have changed over the years."

They approached one of the doors next to the door leading to the power room. Khalon pressed two fingers against the door and it opened. Since the door was so close to the other two it fitted into a slot carved into the wall inside the walkway. The two entered and were soon into a storage room. Several sealed metal containers lied on the bottom of a shelf while a few weapons of some sorts lay in empty racks. A few pistols, and a single rifle. On some shelf in the middle of the room was a piece of some equipment. Khalon's attention went to the metal containers. One was slid out and onto the cold tiled floor, and the plastic straps were undone with his boot knife. "Here we go..." He opened the container and handed Simon a large package.

"Is this it?"

"Yep." Khalon picked one out and tore it open. He sniffed the packaging. "Eh. Better than nothing."

Simon opened the package just like Khalon did. He took out a smaller package of squareish proportions and opened it up. Some type of crackers. His stomach caught up with his mind, and he devoured them. "Dry and somewhat stale, but better than nothin'."

Khalon began to tear on some type of beef jerky from the package. "Yeup."

After their meager 'dinner', Simon went out to explore Lavadome Two while Khalon read the logs. One of the doors opposite the power and storage room eventually ended up in some kind of hanger. The hallway went deep into the mountain away from the main room. The hanger was surprisingly large for being just inside some line of mountains.

The far end of the hangar contained two large craft. One was sleek and very aerodynamic while the other was more angular. Tucked in the corner were a few small one-seater crafts that resembled motorcycles, except they did not have any wheels. Simon sat down on one that caught his eye. He grinned widely over the new finding. He presumably began to test different buttons on the bike until one made it whine to life. A small ergonomic screen, tucked under the front plexiglass shield, lighted to life. The screen displayed various gauges.

"Full tank?" He questioned to himself. His eyes trailed over the sides and rear of the bike. A thick power cord ran from the rear of the bike to a power supply on the wall. A green light was blinking on it while a red one remained unlit. "Couldn't have been on all these years. Sucker must charge quick."

Down the hall and in the Main Room, Khalon was busy reading logs. All of them except for the last one apparently were written by Teryx. A claw pressed the old creaky button and a log popped up on the dusty screen.

_November 15th, 1988_

_The weather is bitterly cold outside; activities were confided to inside Lavadome II. Not much activity spotted from the Tyrranos. Apparently our previous attempts at stifling the Tyrranos the weeks before had payed off. Perhaps we should use what these earth people call Guerrilla tactics more often. Dimetro has been tinkering with a new device he has conjured up with what we have: a tractor beam device. Though these are incorporated into much larger ships, I thought that it would be a good thing to have. Who knows; stealing a small hoverbike or two might convince the Tyrranos to leave Earth for good. I wouldn't mind leaving either. But our current assignment is still to counterbalance this small residue of the war._

Khalon propped an elbow against the overhang of the keyboard. Nothing unusual in the log. The rest was specific technical details about the tractor beam device, and something about the fusion reactor being updated with a new one. And also a mentioning about the old fusion reactor being used for the tractor device. It was signed by Allo. He skipped a few and opened up another written by Allo.

_November 26th, 1988_

_The snow storm has subsided - for the while. The slight increase in temperature has given hiatus to everyone's shared cabin fever and so all traversed the snowy landscape. Demitro's tractor beam device was tested on one of our own hoverbikes. It does not have enough strength to carry that much mass yet. A few tweakings may be needed, he said. The reverse polarizer on the cardium generator burned up. I had to work on that for most of the day since my craft has been designated the one for emergencies - in case something drastic happens on earth or else if Lavadome II is to be discovered; or even worse, but highly improbable, the Tyrranos would gain a big upper had against us. But that seems too bleak. Their failed attempt at trying to set an outpost up on the nearby Mount Crested Butte ended up in them being seen by _humans_. This will definitely go on their record; according to the Ruling Council of Species, it was agreed upon that no contact or spotting by humans is to be made - intentionally or unintentionally. The Secret Scouts are a different case, though. At the time when we arrived, we needed them to help keep eyes and ears out in the towns for any buzz about strange happenings in the mountains of Colorado._

"So this place is in Colorado..." Khalon scrolled down to the next page.

_The RCS had made the ruling a few months after we had arrived since no one even thought of going near earth before. Because, no one had a need too. Unless they were up for inter-galactic capture, which is another thing the RCS overruled. And speaking of things at home - contact has been hard to make due to the United State's government's new specialized satellite system. We have decided to use a really old code system that works from these old machines in Lavadome II. The problem with that inlies the fact that Reptilian must have changed code systems in the past millennia because the humans are advancing. Slowly, though._

Khalon skipped a few more days and ended up reading a log from the next week.

_December 1st 1988_

_The Tyrranos' plan has been eradicated. They were planning to dig into Lavadome II. Fortunately for us, we have sensitive equipment. The boring vibrations were picked up and we quickly found out where they were coming from. They were planning to bore a hole underneath the land from Mt. Crested Butte to Lavadome II. When our radar picked up they had left we went over to investigate. What was found we did not expect. A Cerylian-Apollyon transport ring. Those have been outlawed for many decades because of the rumors associated with them. Some say those are for the destruction of the earth, while others say the RCS is just sucking up excuses to outlaw a Tyrranos created tool. A tool that could be beneficial for transporting goods faster than any ship can. Supposedly. But intermolecular transportation devices is a physical impossibility. My opinion is it will never occur. These things are just conjurations made by... those Earthlings. Something called 'Star Trek'? Some minor, faint rumor came up about these Cerylian-Apollyon transportation devices being linked to some kind of genetics. But that rumor died down very quickly for some reason or another. Whatever the reason, we took it and it was quickly removed and hidden deep within Lavadome II. The Tyrranos do not have the recourses to make another so they won't be pulling any tricks behind our backs. I must say this plot was successfully overthrown. _

More pointless details. Specifics of the Cerylian-Apollyon transporter, and a few mentionings to more personal things. A slight change from the norm of Allo's protocol-only logging style. Khalon moved on to the next one. It was smaller in size than the others.

_December 28th 1988_

_Earth holiday "Christmas" the 25th._

The twenty-fifth? Wouldn't the mentioning be made _during _the twenty-fifth and not three days after? Khalon minimized the window and looked back at the log. A grouping of days seemed to be missing between the first and the twenty-eighth for whatever reason, with several days missing in between the large gap and the end of the month. Khalon shrugged and continued reading.

_Secret Scouts stayed at nearby town Crested Butte. Demetrio is still working with transport device. Claims it will make the trip possibly faster on the way home._

Mmm. Mebbe Allo doesn't have too much of a knack for responding to jokes? Sure was more chipper in the earlier logs.

_Not much else occurred. _

Well, obviously. Lack of text equals not much happening... Khalon rubbed his red-rimmed eyes and sighed. He looked over towards the clock. Though it had the wrong time, that wasn't what distracted him. The screen with the clock displayed also a radar. Apparently some type of vehicle was entering the radar screen; with the edge of the radar displaying where he and Simon had been earlier.

Ethan? Possibly. Khalon left the computer screen and went off to look for Simon. The grouping of four doors suddenly looked like a maze. He shook his head and chose the first door on the right. The hallway led to a small room branching off into several other doors. He was about to embark into one when the sign above the door caught his attention. It was cracked in half, with the second left piece laying on the ground. He took a double glance at the part of the sign still up on the door: He recognized the name. The other piece on the floor was turned over with his boot - and he took another look at the piece still on the wall. Allo. He stood back a distance from the door, pondering to himself.

"Should I go in?"

The door answered him. It slid open; Khalon jumped back and was on the alert. His pistol was pointed at the doorway. "Come out! Don't make me come in there!"

A gut reaction. Instinct. He waited there for a moment until his racing mind cleared. Then he proceeded inside.

The room was barely lit at all. In fact, the only light coming in was from the darkly lit room. He searched for the light switch on the wall by the door and clicked it on. Nothing happened. And suddenly the door closed on its own for whatever reason. Khalon stammered back into a corner and tripped over something. He fell backwards and landed on something soft; like a sheet, except it felt like small spots were covered in dried, crusty paint. Then the lights flickered on. His eyes searched wildly about the room. A small room. With a computer on a table crammed into the corner, whatever cords appearing to be wired through the wall. And a now bent lamp. Must have tripped over that. Now for the sheets...

"Gah!"

He leapt up and gawked. He had landed on a bed with a blood-stained sheet. The sheet was covered in red, dark blood. His imprint was left lightly in the old sheet on the bed, and had cracked off some of it from the sheet. He searched his body for any stab wounds, or hidden cuts or bruises, or anything. But nothing. Nothing showed up. He then noticed the imprints of fists on the wall at the head of the bed; and some other streams and claw marks. It added up in his head. A fight. But in _Allo's _room? The closet lay half open, automatic door ripped off of its hinges and lying in that corner of the room with a nice sized dent in it. As for the contents there were nothing except for a single object. Khalon picked up the small plastic-encased videodisc and held it up to the light. The plastic case was completely shattered but still intact. Trusty rubbery plastic coating. He pocketed that and went over to the computer.

The computer was surprisingly the only thing really intact in the dilapidated room. With trackmouse, keyboard, screen, and computer, it stuck quite out on the grey table. Red and gray, at that. A few blood streaks were on the left of the metal table with apparent streaking and a large dent in it. Khalon took the moment to eye the blood suspiciously.

He pressed the power key. Nothing happened. He tried again, and again, and a fourth time, but still nothing. A slight hit to the computer was given, but still no results. He peered up over the top and into the network cable and hole going into the wall. The cord was stretched to its full capacity against the plastic ring around the hole. The computer table was then slid over a little bit and something swung out and his arm. A light tap or something. A cord. Fraying at the end, and apparently cut or chewed in half. The cord went into an outlet into the wall and he thus frowned. No power, no computer. No answers for the time being. But the videodisk. What would lie on it?

Khalon left the room as quickly as he returned. He looked over his shoulder as he left the larger entry room. Blood. On the walls, the table, the sheets. And signs of a fight. What could it all mean? Yes, it was a fight. But out of any and all rooms, why Allo's?

Khalon tried a few other doors unsuccessfully. One led to bathrooms and showers. The other down some long hall to a winding staircase that went up into the mountain to some lookout. And finally the last one led to where Simon was. But he found Simon in an unexpected situation. He was sprawled on the floor in the hangar, hoverbike floating innocently to the left of the entrance. The front of the bike proved that it had struck the concrete wall. But that didn't matter to Khalon at the moment - his attention was on his only other sociable creature at the moment.

"Simon!" Khalon rushed forward and slid to a stop. "Are you alright?"

No answer.

Khalon checked his pulse. _Good_. He sighed for a moment, kneeling there. Try waking him, possibly? "Wake up Simon!"

Still no answer.

Khalon looked over his neck for any broken bones; upon finding none that would prove possibly fatal, he flipped Simon onto his back and took a look at him. The elbow of his once white lab coat was now ripped off, and covered in dust and dirt. A bruise was on his chin and cheekbone. He picked up Simon carefully but stopped walking. He glanced instinctively towards the hangar doors, the far end of the room, and over to the entrance. And shook his head. One too many battles.

Once past the hallway and into the main room, Khalon set down Simon on one of the only non-dusty parts of the room. The white circle in the center of the room. He then went to the sleeping quarters area to pick up a spare cot or something. He successfully found one in what apparently was some guest room for the Secret Scouts or whomever. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tucked the fold-away cot under arm and passed Allo's room. That broken sign seemed to stare right at him - ominous, and daunting.

Simon was still unconscious in the main room. He set the cot up next to the center circular object and placed Simon on there. Now all he had to do is wait. He could just sift through logs; or check out Lavadome II even further; or possibly get some sleep for himself. Sleep seemed nice. And since Simon's now crushed watch read ten-thirty PM since last workable. The anthrosaur had a change of mind, and left. He made his way to the guest room in the quarters and was soon off to sleep.

Ethan was blindfolded. Temporarily. The car had seemed to turn ever direction ever thought possible - obviously except up and down - and had ended up in a sweet smelling, slightly misty place. Tall grass in places. And the smell of flowers and the scent of woods. Once inside the blindfold was taken off and he was led to a small holding room through brightly lit hallways, all complete with sterile looking white floors and metal walls and ceilings. He was left alone in the one-light halogen room with two chairs, table, and "mirror" on the wall.

_Boring_. He got up and stretched his arms and legs and back, and walked around the room. His interest shifted to the reflective glass and he stared close at it. He narrowed his eyes and tapped on it. "Why are you-"

The door to the room opened. Out came three agents - and a fourth soon trailing in with a video camera and tripod stand. The fourth spoke with the middle agent briefly and left. Door closed, video camera and tripod left.

"Ethan. Please have a seat."

Ethan took a seat in the hard metal chair. A silence settled between the four. He was the first to break it. "You guys sure remind me of that movie made years ago... The Matrix. You guys seen that? You sure would fit in that!"

Either the agents were wanting to get down to serious business, or else they had no sense of humor. The middle one sat down in the chair opposite Ethan with a slight frown. "Now Ethan. We want to ask you some questions pertaining to the occurrences that happened at your father's-"

A frown. "Uncle."

"-_Uncle's_ farmhouse," He continued seamlessly. "Now. What did the creature look like?"

Agent one took notes while three recorded on a video camera. Ethan eyed the glaring red light on the camera. "Before I answer any questions, I want to know one thing. No, two."

The agent hesitated, sighed, and said, "Well alright. What is it?"

"First off ,what time is it, and second off, when am I going to be able to leave?"

"It's..." A look at his watch. "...Eleven forty two. AM."

Ethan rubbed his eyes and looked expectantly. "Well?"

"You will leave after we are done questioning you."

"Alright."

The agent continued. "What did the creature look like?"

Ethan described him. Large, strong, muscular, tooth-and-clawed. And very much like a dinosaur, except walks like a human. Agent continued again. "Did it threaten you in any way?"

A pause. "No."

"Ok. Did he say where his planet, or country of origin was?"

"Country? Why country? It's obvious he's _not _from here."

"He could be from Earth. Loch Ness Monster. Lachubacabra. You know."

"I thought that La-something was caught already."

A sigh. Apparently agent two was irritated. Something buzzed on his radio but he ignored it. "Alright. Next question."

The agent questioned Ethan for quite some time, about until Ethan was showing signs of fatigue. He then was led off to another small room with a bed, locked in, and was left alone once again. He immediately took to the bed and was off to sleep.

Khalon woke up to a start. The door to the guest room opened, and in its doorway was Simon. Unsteady, hand against wall. "Hey, what happened?"

Khalon rubbed sleepiness from his eyes. "You took a spill. You should sit down."

"I'm fine. For now. Just my head hurts."

"From being out cold I can imagine."

Simon plopped down on a bed opposite to Khalons. He leaned forward and rubbed his eyes as well. "All I remember is getting that hoverbike thing to move, and then I remember leaning over too far, loosing control, and then everything went black."

Khalon propped himself up with an elbow. The pillow was stale smelling and old. "Huh. Those hoverbikes must be old-generation. Must've been the gyro that went out on it."

"Oh." Simon shifted and winced. "I think I'll lied down."

"I would do the same myself."

Simon carefully lowered himself down on his back. "You had bad dreams?"

"What?"

Simon looked over. "You've got a sweat."

Khalon wiped a hand across his forehead. Wet. "Oh. Yeah I guess."

Simon stared back up at the dark ceiling. The quarters were lit dimly for whatever reason. "Does your kind dream?"

Khalon shrugged. "Yeah. I guess as much as humans do. So says some black-labeled tests. Turns out the Tyrranos did abduct some humans and mistakably published their findings."

"Who were these humans?"

"I have no idea. The whole thing went under quick and disappeared like dust in the wind."

Simon closed his eyes. "Huh. Interesting." Then he went silent. Heavy breathing.

Khalon looked over curiously. "Simon?"

A jolt. "W-What?"

"Oh. Sleeping?"

"Yeah."

Khalon smirked and roused out of bed. Simon stayed where he was with eyes closed again. Khalon left the quarters room and went out to the main room.

The cot was still in its place, except the deflated pillow was resting on the dirty floor. The large computer screen was on and had some logs opened. Out of general curiosity he went over to the computer and began reading the logs. But a smear caught his attention and he looked closer to it. A human finger print with a traced line. Khalon frowned. The log was scrolled up to the beginning and he began to read. It was authored by Allo.

_Tyrranos successfully muzzled. I personally took great lengths to see that they were hindered from doing any more major attempts at being annoying._

Khalon's frown ran deeper. _ Odd change of emotion._ Then it hit him: The first fingerprint and line ran from the word muzzled down to another word: Officer.

_Idle inactivity has caused the Dinosaucers team to become irritable as well. Possibly, its time we all went home. Hopefully that officer will know when the best time to leave is - as in, leaving now... ...Officer becoming annoying with us. Let's leave now before our sanity is drained completely. It's only been three weeks - isn't that enough time to "check up" on things?_

_"_

"Officer...?" Khalon thought aloud. Was someone promoted to Officer? The log was dated February second, nineteen ninety. "Five months before they left earth." He opened up the log dated six weeks back. It was strangely not authored by Allo. It was by Teryx. "Supposedly."

_January 12th 1990_

_An officer came to visit us. Saying that he was sent to check up on the current situation and assess the situation so he can relay it back to Reptilian. This might explain why we have had radio silence over the past few months since last contact. They cut us off or whatever and then all of the sudden they're interested in us. Yeah, thanks Reptilian. No wait - I mean radio silence for the past year... ...The young officer seems friendly and unusually eager to meet the crew. Seems like those Reptilians at home force fed the poor guy appraisals of us at the Military Training Compound back at home. If it still exists. Which I hope it doesn't. Fools. Allo keeps insisting on going solo when we all venture out to see what the Tyrranos is up to. He better be careful. He's gonna get killed one of these days and no one will know about it. And then he came back with some suspicious marks on his neck. Not bruises. I think Allo is hiding something... It seems unusual for him to just keep leaving for whatever reason. And strangely enough, his dissapearances have increased in length and frequency after that officer asked some innocent questions._

Not promoted. Just a young officer coming to check up on the situation. Not much to be promoted at those at Lavadome II. The second to the last sentence he read made himself smirk. "Yep. Force-fed." The log ended after a few minor details about some craft being repaired. He scrolled to the next log, authored by Teryx yet again.

_March 14th 1990_

_Things are running along smoothly despite some major occurrences. The officer and Allo were found to have fought, and no word yet on the Secret Scouts. I nev_

The log suddenly cut short. Khalon had to take a double take to really figure that it was either just at typo, or someone just deleted the rest of it. But why would they want to delete it? Khalon went to the next log. Strange occurrences suddenly got weirder. It was authored by Dimetro.

_March 26th 1990_

_Blasted Allo. I could never have trusted that creep. Why would he take advantage of us like that? And that officer? Doesn't that freak named Allo have any conscience? Fool is going to be court-marshaled for this little stunt. Unless he disappears mysteriously again for the tenth-billion time and never returns, which I wouldn't be too sad about._

Khalon's jaw dropped. _What! _Demetro and Allo were good friends. Supposedly, though.

..._Teryx is taking over. Allo has been labeled as a traitor for making contact and spilling secrets to that rotten female raptor. All for the name of love and child my scaley butt. Ha! I liked the look on his face when Teryx interrogated him. It was as if he was pulling things out of his butt. Here's my reenactment of the whole mess:_

_"That officer hit me first! Fool was busy messing up my plot to get vital information out of the raptor!" Very funny, Allo. _

_Teryx: "And what kind of information would this be?" Allo: "It was... It was about the Apollyon transporter." _

_Me: "Yeah? And you don't see me complaining about my 'worthless girlfriend.' Hey - at least I can keep someone of my own species!" _

_Allo: "You don't understand! I had to befriend her-" _

_Teryx: "Befriend? Having relations of another species on this level isn't good. It's bad. It's disgraceful to all Reptilians and the Dinosaucers. You knew all the rules, laws, regulations, and traditions like your life depended on it. What's the deal with the change, Allo? Where's the old friend I used to know? Where's that old Allo with a backbone of a Reptilian history book?"_

_Allo: "Screw Reptilian traditions! Reptilian is already different and changed since we came back here." _

_Me: "Oh yeah? Did your girlfriend explain how things are going back in the ol' home? Those Reptilians sure know how to get around! Slutty slutty. I bet you even promised to marry the witch!" _

_Teryx: "If I was that raptor, I wouldn't be even half-brained to know not to stoop that low to you." _

_Allo: "You don't understand. You'll never understand. Besides, my personal life is my own business."_

_Teryx: "So this so-called rumor about a child is just hot air too?"_

_Allo: "Can it! That's my business too!"_

_Teryx: "Your life is the Dinosaucers, and this mission's business is our personal lives. You couldn't have gotten into the Dinosaucers without going through your head! We need to know where you are - you're the leader, and we depend on you, and on a personal level I'm afraid one day you wont come back."_

_Allo: "Tcha, yeah. You just rambling on because you wish you could bear children."_

_Teryx: "Allo! I would never-"_

_Silly Allo. Never mess with two women. Even one even. You'll just get yourself into trouble, and your head banged around. Trust me. At least I know how to keep a women. I don't forget idle comments. You know, because I'm just not some thoughtless, unnoticing tech officer?_

Khalon stared at the computer screen, jaw still dropped in shock. He reread the log again. And again. And again for a third time, just for extra measure.

"But... Why?" were the only words he managed to pull out of his brain. Just then Simon walked in. He sported a great big smile, and a clear plastic bottle filled with a clear liquid.

"Hey! You'll never guess what I found!"

Khalon looked after a long moment. He gave Simon a blank, slightly frowning expression. Simon turned the bottle around, label facing Khalon. "Pepsi Crystal! This stuff has to be worth some money on Ebay! It's got to be over thirty years old. Don't wanna drink it though - it's probably really nasty."

Khalon still did not respond. Not caring, or else lost in thought. Or both. Simon came over to the computer and placed the bottle on the counterspace of the computer keyboard. But it accidentally pressed some button along the edge of the keyboard. A bleep sounded, and some window popped up. Before Khalon had time to say something or push the bottle off, a video popped up in the window.

It was Demetro.

"Hey kiddies. I'm just here sitting on my duff doing nothing. Yeah. Well I hope this video makes it back to Reptilian because Sergeant Wind-In-My-Head doesn't know how to press a few buttons and converse one-sidedly with a video. It's fun. You guys should try it. Yeah, I'm out."

That reminded Khalon. The videodisk.

"Demetro here, by the way. Things are going smoothly and we are getting prepared to leave hopefully shortly. See you soon! Oh, and love to my girlfriend." Wink. "Bye."

Khalon narrowed his eyes. He spoke aloud to himself. "Demetro looks waaay too unhappy to be really meaning that..."

Simon cocked his head. "What? His girlfriend... Oh. Heh, one time I hooked up with this girl... but it didn't get too far. She didn't dig my 'geek' look and since the government had restrictions on me -."

"No. Demetro. The tech officer... It just doesn't make sense."

Simon looked from the screen, to Khalon. And the cola bottle. He picked the cola bottle up and shrugged. "Well, what doesn't make sense?"

"Allo. He apparently had some relations to a raptor."

"So? What's wrong with that?" Simon ran a finger on the faded plastic wrapping of the bottle. "So... why not marrying outside your own 'species'?"

Khalon looked up at Simon. "That would be considered to betray Reptilian. Your own kind. Kind of like, giving out military secrets, except its on a more personal level. ...It has a lot to do with the history... Of Reptilian."

"Mmm. Well can't you all just get along _together_? I would think since you guys got all this technology you would advance on bare level stuff, at least."

"In earth people's perspective, no. Just because we're light years ahead of you all doesn't mean we've advanced with... ego's. Technology and time only complicates things. But this situation with Allo is more complex than interracial relations. Apparently he may have given out secrets of the Dinosaucers, and possibly given something more. But I dunno what else."

"So that video that I uh, accidentally popped up... That's a lie?"

Khalon nodded. "Yeah. Or else it was recorded before but..." He scrolled down to the end of the log. Video attachment. "I dunno. Just doesn't make sense. We were told that Allo died peacefully somewhere out there, and that things went smoothly. Just... Not enough details given back at home. Very vague and very general." A sigh. "I guess this explains it all. Except for one thing."

"What?"

"The blood in Allo's quarters."

Simon looked over to the group of doors. "I didn't see that."

"It's bad. And it looks like someone had a fight in there... There's fist punches in the walls. And I found this in there." He withdraws the videodisk. "Old technology but rated to survive millions of years."

Simon plucked it from Khalon's hand and took a look at it. "Huh. You know which slot in all these machines to put it?"

"Yes actually. The people's well paying tax dollars is spent to good uses even in learning obsolete technology."

Simon handed it back. "I wonder what's on it? More messages that never made it? Or just... random strings of data?"

Khalon searched over the face of the large computer screen. "Here it is..." He slipped the videodisk in the slot and a window popped up on the screen.

The videodisk whirred and the video popped up in the window.

Laughter. And some female raptor. The video clip suddenly stopped and switched to Allo in his room, alone. "Testing. One. Two. Three. Four." The video clip switched again to the raptor female. Allo's voice came from off camera. "He can't be that smart, can he?"

The response, a fair feminine voice. "Possibly. I got some insider information."

"He is really planning that stuff?"

"Has _been_. For who knows how long."

"Years?"

"Decades, possibly. I'm not sure how long. But whatever it is, and when it'll happen, we better be ready."

"But our child. What if he finds out?"

The female raptor shrugged, sighed, and looked off. Trees and bushes surrounding. "I dunno. I'm three weeks pregnant. I'm glad the Tyrranos don't do physical checks that often."

Allo heed. "Yeah. Well I better get going before-"

The clip switched to Allo, alone in room. "It's sometime in March." A sigh. "I'm leaving Dinosaucers. And that's final. No one is going to stop me. I'm about to leave - just gather up a few things here, and I'm outta here." He raised some sack from the floor and offered a slight forced smile. "I've packed enough in my ship to let me survive to the next outpost. And hey - I might join up with the Tyrranos, mebbe."

Khalon frowned. "The Tyrranos have hated him. They wouldn't allow him to do that."

"I just have to convince Her. She'll let me go on."

The clip switched. The female raptor spoke. "I don't know! You can't just slip in undetected. They'll find you out and then that'll be the end of you."

"Not if I can get to that genetic lab."

A slight gasp. "You know about that? How?"

Allo laughed softly. "Tyrranos have a way of talking before they _die_."

The raptor shivered. "Well.. no one is going to die." She looked at Allo with great concern. "Our _child_ won't. _You _won't, because your _not _coming."

"I am. Please. It's not going to be hard to just - Let met slip in. Dressed in a disguise mebbe."

"No, Allo. Please! For the sake of our child - once they know about it they'll... they'll... "

"What?"

"They'll kill him. And mebbe me if I don't survive... At the least they'll kill the baby, make me have an abortion."

The clip switched. Allo again in room. "You see... Reptilian is just too much of a big headache. From what my friend has told me things have drastically changed. First off, the whole economy. The government promotes its socialistic, proud to be Reptilian crap. I hate that. Just like I hate being in the Dinosaucers, and how much I hate those who I am teamed with. First off Teryx, you can die happy. Please really. I insist. Ichy, I never really knew you too well so all I can say is don't get polluted by this garbage these Dinosaucers talk about. Dimetro. A chip off the 'ol block that officer called you. Such a sucker you are for staying here. I gave you a chance to leave with me but now you will know the consequences."

A voice sounded off screen. Dimetro. "Consequences of _what_?"

Allo looked disturbed for a moment. "What are you doing?"

"What are _you_ doing? I thought you were gone! Ha! Consistency isn't your thing, is it?"

Allo stood up and walked off camera. "Don't make me."

Suddenly, Allo and Dimetro rushed into camera view. Allo was slammed up against the wall. "You killed those Secret Scouts, didn't you! You heartless scum!"

Allo lashed out with claws. He got Dimetro's face. "Shut it!"

Dimetro's hands grappled at his face as he growled. He sent a kick out for Allo's knees. "No! I'll never-"

Allo sidestepped the kick. He clamped his two hands together and sent a blow at Dimetro's temple. Dimetro took the hit and crumbled onto the floor, Dimetro falling off camera. Allo withdrew a knife from his boot and raised for the kill. Dimetro's hand suddenly shot up and grappled Allo's hand with the paw. "Dimetro, goodbye. Any last words?"

Dimetro's other hand punched at Allo's stomach. Allo didn't flinch. The dull thunk of flesh against armor sounded. The knife was gaining on Dimetro; Allo was obviously the stronger one. His eyes grew with an intense hate and his breathing increased rapidly. "Allo! Don't! Think through this man, you're gonna regret it!"

The tip of the blade went off camera. A slight shout came from Dimetro. Allo grimaced. "I'm gonna silence you like I did those Secret Scouts!"

Dimetro was struggling for his life. Gasping, and breathing for air against the blade. A slight gurgling noise. And Allo was kicked in the side where his armor gaped. "Never!" Allo contorted and Dimetro scrambled to his feet. He sent a kick for Allo's face but Allo was prepared. The serrated blade slashed for the back of Dimetro's exposed ankle and sliced through the tendon. Dimetro instantly cried out in pain and stumbled reflexively onto that foot but crumbled. Allo leaped for the kill but was parleyed by an uppercut, making the blade fling off camera and fall with a metallic clang. Allo fell to the ground and pressed a button on his large arm cuff and two long blades extracted from the cuff. They were fastened to it, and the cuff to his arm.

Dimetro gawked at the two long blades. "What! That's Tyrranos technology!"

Allo didn't respond. He made a fist and swung the blades making two sizeable gashes across Dimetro's chest and his arm and front shoulder. Dimetro stumbled back against the wall. "Allo...!"

Allo still did not respond. His eyes were ablaze with hate, and fury flaming in his fist. The blades were slashed again and made two more cuts. Blood started to soak into Dimetro's clothing and other things.

Reality hit. Khalon winced and was about to look away when the clip changed to something else. Allo and the raptor.

"But why? You can-" Allo was interrupted.

"I'm sorry." The raptor turned to leave. "I just can't help you I'm sorry!"

A sigh, and a soft grunt. "One of these days we'll catch up then I guess..."

"I dunno. Hey look - I gotta go before they spot us together."

Allo embraced her tightly, all the while the camera appearing fastened to Allo's suit somehow. "Ok. I love you."

"I do love you two Allo. Do not forget that."

"Before we go... Let's name him."

The raptor sighed and took hold of Allo's hand. "You name him."

He shrugged slowly. "I dunno. It's just..."

"Then I'll name him. But please, I don't want to. I want you to name him."

"I can't think about a name right now, all I think about is you."

The raptor shook her head and looked away. "Let's name him..."

The clip switched to Allo and Dimetro. Dimetro was bleeding in all sorts of places, and he was again forcefully shoved up against the wall. With fist and blades. He cried aloud as they hit home once again. Allo responded by shoving him around against he wall. "Dinosaucers are over! They're gonna die! Just like the rest of everyone on Reptilian, and all of the Tyrranos!"

Though painfully aware his life is in the brink, Dimetro gave Allo a confused look. Allo growled. "Consider this a favor. I'm sorry."

Dimetro's hand went out and grappled the fist with the blades. The blades came closer to his neck. "Allo..." Coughing, and heavy, shallow breathing. "Whaddya mean?"

"I mean everyone is going to die! They took David and Sarah, and David's a test subject. Genetic testing. We're all going to die eventually... Same goes for everyone on Earth, since they got David! Everyone is going to die under the claws of Darien! He's got us all tied up. Our lives are in his hands. We're going to suffer." The blades made contact with Dimetro's throat. "I'm sorry..."

Dimetro ignored the blades while he flayed his hands to push the arm away, cutting them badly. But Allo overpowered him. Dimetro fell to the ground dead.

The clip switched back to the raptor and Allo.

Allo: "I dunno! I can't really think right now."

The raptor sighed again. She appeared to be more nervous and was constantly looking out into the woods and brush. "Please Allo. For us, and for our child."

Allo sighed and shook his head. The noise in the background suggested he was fidgeting, or shuffling his feet. He responded after a long pause. "Let's name him Khalon."

Khalon suddenly gripped the arms of the chair tightly and held his breath. Khalon. Khalon. The name rung in his head.

Allo suddenly turned around. "There's someone there!"

The raptor shrieked. "They've found us!"

A blade flashed from the form of Allo. "Not if I can help it! Stupid Tyrannos fools are gonna die!" As the blade swung, the two cries of teenagers wailed out and both slumped over. Secret Scouts. David and Sarah.

Khalon gasped and stumbled back out of his chair. It fell loudly.

The raptor cursed and rushed over. "Now they can't go back! You'll get busted. I'll take them."

Allo sighed, exasperated. The two Secret Scouts were rolling and wailing in shock and pain from the blade slash. David had a gash revealing his ribs and Sarah across her neck and over her face. She was bleeding the worst. "Alright, alright! Go!"

The raptor scooped up the two and disappeared into the forest. And there was a crack behind the bush. The young officer stood up with a complexion of dismay, and turned to run. Allo growled and lunged at him, expression on the officer's face a look of surprise. A fist slammed into the officer's skull and the video clip ended.

Khalon was shaking his head with a dismayed look of disbelief. "No. It can't be. No it can't be!"

Simon just stood there, out of place. With coke bottle. Look of perplexity.

Khalon stumbled around a bit more. He thrusted his palms onto his face and rubbed his eyes hard. And after shaking for a moment, he glared at the nearest computer screen. A fist instantly went into it, sending a shower of glass and sparks at himself. He retracted his fist and yelled in pain. His fist was cut from the thick glass and he did something odd. The hand was raised into the light for a moment, trickling blood glistening in the bright lights. The hand was suddenly clutched into a fist and shook violently. Khalon then stumbled off and disappeared into one of the doors.

Simon peered out from the computer he had hid behind. The human shuddered. The halls carried the echoes of fists against metal and yelling.

Ethan was disturbed by the door opening. He rubbed his red-rimmed eyes. "...What? Where am I?"

It was Karle. "Good morning." He sported a kind smile and a steaming tray of eggs, bacon, and ham. "Sleep well?"

Ethan looked suspiciously at the tray. The barn. Khalon. It all came back to him and memory came back to him. "Been better." Cold response. "I sleep best at home."

Karle seemingly ignored Ethan's comments. "Don't worry, you'll feel better after you eat. Here." The tray was set on the small table across from Ethan. "Good southern cookin'. Made it myself."

Ethan looked over to the tray and up to Karle. He cocked his head and folded his arms. "I'm not too sure if I like southern cooking, really."

For a moment Karle's cheerful expression broke. But it quickly came back. "Don't worry, you'll like it. Since southerners like it so salty."

Ethan shrugged, still looking oddly at the tray. And at the happy Karle. "I dunno. I guess it's just more of a personal taste than where you are from."

"You mean you don't like southern cookin'? C'mon." A chuckle. He exited the room and shut the door. Ethan was left with his own peace of mind. And that tray of food. Hunger enveloped him and he decided to eat the meal.

After he had his fill on the breakfast he remembered again of Khalon. Where is he? The cell opened and he was led out. Karle was nowhere in sight. Ethan was led to a simular room as the night - er, earlier in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

Simon found Khalon sitting on Allo's bed, staring off at the ominous-feeling blood streaks, fist bowls, and other signs of the fight. Strange that the blood didn't faze him, considering he was sitting right next to it all. Khalon's hand was bandaged but blood seeped through the old white sheet. Simon's presense made Khalon avert his focus for only a moment.

Simon stood there awkwardly yet again for a moment. He raised both arms slightly, palms up. "I don't really know your situation that well but... I'm sorry."

Khalon grunted. "Thanks for the empathy."

Simon looked taken-back. "Well. If you want me to leave then...

Khalon frowned. "No. You're coming with me."

conversation needs to be redone. goes from stubborn to opens up slightly.

Simon refers to Allo…

Khalon shrugged. "Look at it this way: Who said Hitler wasn't bad at the start?"

He nodded in response. "Yeah but in this case your his kid."

"Bastard child. Basically... In fact, both parents somehow disappeared and left me to whomever in my now good-as-dead Uncle and Aunt."

"What was this thing about interspecies marriage? Since you're not 'pureblood' you're just a..."

Khalon looked over. Slightly dark expression. He stared at him, head shaking slightly. "A what?"

"I dunno. I didn't grow up in your culture."

Khalon sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Yeah. My kind is hated. I'm no better than a dead Tyrranos. No wait, even they look down on my kind."

"Lowest of low?"

"Scum of the galaxy. I feel so betrayed by my own kind now. One moment, they shove pride for yourself and your race up the wazoo and next thing it feels like... You have betrayed them. Your a traitor."

Simon bit his lower lip again. "Alrighty... So what are we going to do now?"

"I was hoping to fix up a ship and get the heck off of this planet... But that's not going to be so easy. Once found I'm as good as dead." Khalon rubbed both hands across his face in a downward motion. "But why would the Elders want to get rid of me? It's not like I took Allo's place... And my team members took the other people's places, and the original task-force were put in history books."

"History books?"

"Yeah. Like honored. But not terribly as to seem like a cult. Just mentioned, honored, and respected when the topic ever comes up."

Simon just nodded and listened. Khalon looked over and searched his expression for a moment. "But that still doesn't explain why those Elders wanted to give me the boot." A huff, and a sigh. "Yeah they probably knew that I was a 'half-blood'. But how?"

"If they knew how then... Wouldn't they have to know about Allo and the Raptor?"

Khalon leaned forward and propped his elbow on leg, and held his chin with a hand. "Yeah. Mebbe that has to do with it all. But how? Reptilians sure are quick to give the boot to traitors. They wouldn't have accepted the information about whatever Allo found out that seemed to make the Elders want to give me the boot without it catching their attention."

"Mebbe someone's on the inside."

"Yeah. Or else a good puppet-master."

"Puppet master... Mebbe whoever was on the inside has ways of getting information about... Both sides?"

Khalon nodded and looked up at Simon. "Yeah. But that still doesn't explain _who_ would be behind it all, and how he got to be on the inside. Or mebbe he's just somewhere on the Tyrranos' side, when in reality he just controls both."

Simon shrugged. "Didn't you say something about corruption?"

"Yeah but I was talking about how conservative things were _not_ getting. As in, vie for cloning and genetic implantation when it's obvious the technology exists but the safety factors are a giant issue. Who would want to be born a... mutant or something?"

Simon shuddered. "The US government has banned cloning for good in the US. President Bush's attempts at banning cloning were lifted, and in the small time period human cloning was up for a free-for-all, there was some company that did it. But turns out the child just... Melted away. Or something awful like that due to some genes missing."

Khalon stared off at the ground. "And this Darien Allo mentioned. What about him? Or her?"

"Eh, that sounds like a male name."

A shrug. "At any rate. Many questions are to be answered. Including what to do now." And he suddenly remembered. "Ethan! I hope he's OK!"

"Ethan?"

"Oh sorry, I didn't tell you about that." He related the story of him crash landing on Earth in Ethan's Uncle's field, and eventually coming to Simon's lab. "I can't just leave the poor kid - Oh shoot! He's David and Sarah's kid! And David and Sarah were those two Secret Scouts that were taken by that raptor Tyrranos!"

Simon just bit his lower lip again. "Not good?"

"No. He could be in danger. I don't feel rested now until he's under my watch. That only means one thing - we'll have to find him. But I have no idea where he is..."

"You said you crash landed in his Uncle's field?"

"Well... Yeah."

Simon continued with finger raised. "And he talked to you, and gave you food."

"Yeah."

"The US Government likes keeping tabs on _everything. _I bet they took him just like they took you. Not in the same manner I hope."

Khalon got up. "Ok. We have no idea where he is. All we have is a capful of old dusty computers, a few old rusting ships, a few dismembered hoverbikes, a load of gut hunches, and that radio of the agent's. Except for some reading over where we were on the radar..."

"The radio!" Simon slipped it out from his pocket and put it to his ear. "Eh... just static. Nothing. Is there an amplifier in this place?"

Khalon motioned and quickly walked out the door. "Spotted one. Follow me."

Soon the radio was hooked up to speakers and the computer.

Khalon typed away on the keyboard. A few screens popped up. "Ok. See that white circle over there?"

"Yeah. Can't miss it."

"Stand in it. Its not only a hologram projector."

Simon was quickly up on it. He held it up. "Like this?"

"That's good." Voices came up on the speakers. "Here we go-"

Pssh. "Bounty taken, this is Eagle One, roger." Pssh. "Bounty is in custody?" Pssh. "Affirmative. But the Package has escaped." Pssh. Hurried tone. "What! Send out patrol, ASAP."

The radio suddenly cut off. Simon leaned out of the white light of the center white circle smirking. "Glad we got this thing."

Just then, something unusual came up on the speakers.

Reptilian. Khalon was about to speak to Simon, but he cut short. Then some more speech, and odd noises. Wavy, bleeping, and a heartthrob continuing through it all.

Khalon looked oddly over to Simon. "What did you do?"

Simon was perplexed. "I just... Leaned out of the circle." He stood up straight and leaned out again. The human voices turned to the Reptilian speech and the ominous noises.

Khalon stared hard at Simon. "Oh no. This is not good."

Simon blinked. "I don't have a pacemaker... That kinda sounds like-"

More Reptilian voices. Khalon squinted and looked off at the computer screen. "They're saying... They're using outlawed code. Tyrranos probably." He looked at Simon. "A human device doesn't have the capability to do that. So that must mean..."

"Hey. Remember what I said about those scars?"

"Oh yeah. Well I remembered that the Elders implemented some type of chip-system so they can 'strengthen society'. Yeah. Socialism."

"No. I mean... 'Just a coincidence.'"

Khalon looked at him oddly. The weird, pulsating, bleeping computer noises intermixed with Reptilian speech presided in the background. "Allo. He said something about a Darien, who apparently had his claws on... Everything."

"Including people's lives? Like... Humans and Reptilians? And whatever is out there?"

"I think these implants are more than chips, Simon. But questions are still unanswered. Well... Allo said something about everyone going to die. But mebbe that part is hogwash." He grunted. "Who knows!"

Simon stepped out of the circle. The noise stopped. Both looked at each other and to the computer screen. The signal indicator stopped waving like crazy once Simon stepped out of the white circle. "I remember now... for the past few months I've been having weird dreams with that _same exact noise_. Gosh that freaks me out! I hate that noise!"

"Simon. You mean you've been hearing that ever since... When?"

"Since after I recall those black-tiled floors and ceilings and walls and - Well what are you getting to?"

"Ok. This is not good. The Tyrranos _agreed _at the Council to not use the chip technology. Because it had to involve genetic testing and possibly cloning was involved. The type of chip they were making could only be used by a Reptilian because it was _designed _for a Reptilian. As in mapped to its DNA sequence, and basically tricks the body into thinking the chip is some missing gene that will help the body function better." Khalon sighed coldly. "I've heard just some minor but _terribly_ rumors about this. This is not good."

"What kind of rumors?"

Khalon looked up slowly. "They've gone wrong. Reptilian DNA is too much of a step to do guesswork because its much more complex... much more than a human's. Humans have less DNA than Reptilians do, so that means... All those abductions are true, and David and Sarah could have been used in it because they were in Tyrranos hands." He continued on his last thought. "They've gone wrong, as in Reptilians and Humans possibly being... Permanently dependent on the chip. Brains re-wired to the point they need some outside force to make them keep functioning. But why would anyone want to do this? What purpose would it serve?"

Simon shrugged absent-mindedly. "Mebbe whoever is behind this really wanted the chips to do that.

"Yeah." Khalon snapped his fingers. "What a brilliant plan. For the people of Reptilian, and ultimately for one person alone. Opposite of what the Government preached. Bloodsucking money laundering Elders. Never should have trusted them from the start, just like getting myself into the Dinosaucers. Heck I should've felt my instincts and gone with the Resistance."

"Resistance?"

"Yeah. They're against both the Dinosaucers and the Tyrranos. The Tyrranos don't mind them as much as the Dinosaucers for some reason. Possibly... I wonder. Would they know the truth behind the Reptilian Government? They seem to be hiding something. It's not everyday some random pocket of resistance knows where to strike, and how to strike key locations, and _really _know how to cripple a force or station. I really do wonder." Khalon drummed his fingers for a moment. "I bet we should pay a visit to the Resistance. I know where one of their outposts are. Figured it out from nervous-types in some suspicious black-marketing bar. It's a long way away though. Gosh I hope those crafts in the hanger have enough juice left to get the engines started."

"And if we've got enough food."

Khalon stood up and headed for the hangar. "Yeah."

The few remaining ships were indeed rusting and the grouping of hoverbikes looked dilapidated. Except for the one Simon tried out, now in several pieces from his spill. They approached the sturdiest looking of the two remaining ships and took a good look at it. Khalon walked around it more slowly than Simon. Simon just skimmed over it.

"Looks fine to me. I hope the insides this good."

Khalon picked at a flake of rust. "I doubt it. But it stays cool down here, so it must be fine."

Simon tapped at the hull. Dull thinking sound of heavy plating. "Where' the button to open this thing?"

"I think its this..." Khalon pressed his hand on a sort of plate underneath the wing of the craft. It sat high on the four landing legs. Something clanked loudly in the craft and a motorized door opened, a ramp leading up into the ship. "Here we go."

The two peeked inside the rather small craft. It could hold at least fix or six comfortably, and carry a good amount of cargo. The cockpit was roomy and looked like it was kept in good conditions. The entire board behind the two sets of steering devices was complete flat and polished to a dull metallic shine. Both angled boards met in the center of the cockpit. From the ceiling extended two pairs of the steering arms - one extending down from above each of the two front seats - both having grips, buttons, and triggers and polished to a chrome shine. On the floor were corresponding sets of chrome petals. Everything was accented by black and blue thunderbolts, stripes, and wavey designs.

Simon grinned. "Looks like someone has a sense of fashion."

Khalon and Simon ventured back to the cargo/hold area. It was average sized, seats lining walls and straps corresponding with a few empty crates. Controls for the door lied in a gap in between two seats. "Looks fine to me." The interior was well taken care of despite obvious years and years of use. The two went back to the cockpit.

"My guess is this is Bronto-Thunder's." Khalon pressed a finger on the center consol. Something whirred and clicked and a screen popped up on the dark metallic dashboard. "Because he always did like to spiffy things up."

The screen flickered a few times. The word: 'Passcode?' flickered in Reptilian, then English. Khalon just pressed the enter button and the screen flickered off. The screen disappeared into a line forming at the top of the dashboard and numerous instruments and screens glow to life. "Ok. It's alive and well. Recharged most of the way too. I guess Thunder wanted to keep his baby and take it back home."

Simon sat down in one of the chairs and placed his hands on the two controls. "It's a bit high."

Khalon pressed some button on the ceiling. They lowered and he grinned. "That's because it's not made for humans." He turned and went to leave. "I'm gonna go check on those hoverbikes. They'll be much quicker than walking back. If Ethan is over."

The hoverbikes were clumped together in the far corner of the hangar. A few cobwebs had collected on them over the years, and rust prevailed as the main color. Khalon pressed the red button on each to see how much charge there is. Out of the five, only three had any charge. And out of those three only one was usable at the moment. Khalon hooked up two to the power supply box and went back to the ship.

Simon was busy typing away on the counsel. He looked up when Khalon entered. "This things got charts, plots, records, logs, all kinds of stuff. Good escape vehicle if I'd say so myself."

Khalon plopped down in one of the seats. He took a look at the instruments. "I'm letting two of the hoverbikes recharge in case we have to go poking around."

Simon pressed a button on the consol. "There." The sound of a radio came on, with voices. Human voices this time. "Hooked up the radio to the speakers in this thing."

Khalon peered over. "Your pretty handy, you know that?"

"That's why my good government loves me."

The radio emitted static and someone spoke. "He's in custody. Still not speaking." Pshht. More static, and a voice trailed in. " What is the name of the subject?" Pssht. "Ethan Hemmingway."

Khalon stopped toying with the steering grips and pressed a few buttons on the counsel. A virtual knob lit up on the center counsel and he twisted it around. The radio buzzed a few times and became clearer.

Psssht. "Ethan. Get Ethan out of Colorado quickly. We've picked up some activity in the area. Some dam workers spotted two people matching the escapee's descriptions."

Psssht. "When?"

Pssht. "Hour's time."

Pshht. "Affirmative."

Khalon looked at the time. Eleven-twelve Earth Hours. "Ok. We got forty-five minutes. We better hope those hoverbikes charge up quickly, because if they don't, we're gonna have to fly this thing. And I don't wanna do that. I've broken enough rules already."

Simon stood up and scratched his head. "We got any weapons? They got these new generations tazors that are long-range. Really irritating."

Khalon slipped his pistol out and waved it in the air. "Fossilizer. Completely immobilizes whoever gets shot. But dangerous. Lets go!"

A few minutes later the two were fitted each with a pistol. Khalon took the remaining rifle and a few more necessities. They then checked up on the status of the bikes and found that both were half-charged. Khalon quickly disconnected them and turned them on.

"Ok. Enough to get us there and back. These type of fusion engines don't do well with recharging. And... Please be careful. Just lean _only_ enough to help you turn."

"Alright."

Khalon led and Simon followed. The two walked the bikes out of a small door in the hanger. Khalon quickly closed it and readjusted the camouflage. "Conspicuous stone."

Simon looked at his pistol uneasily. "I don't know about using this thing... I just don't feel right."

Khalon looked over his shoulder. "Don't worry. It's not like your killing them."

Simon just shrugged. The two then quickly zipped off down the valley and the way they came back. Water splashed from the river as they grazed its flowing edges as dust and leaves rattled up in the luminous trail. It took them about fifteen minutes to get to the lake, and another three to get over the hill and down by the field. The bikes were shut off and hidden behind the overhang of a depression in the hill underneath an overhang of roots and dirt.

Khalon motion Simon to keep quiet. Two armed men stood at the entrance they had came out of just hours before. Khalon slipped off the rifle and aimed it down the field. Simon watched clutching his own fossilizer. Khalon pulled back on the trigger and a whitish shot flew across the field and hit the first guard in the chest. He immediately fell over in a convulsion. The other had enough time to just look over before he was shot. The two raced across the field and got to the door. But only with one problem - it was locked.

Simon retrieved the keycard from his pocket. "Tada." He handed it to Khalon, who tried it in the corroded slot. Nothing.

Khalon tried again and still nothing. "Must have changed the locks. Mmm. You got the radio still?"

Simon pressed the piece to his ear. "Yeah. I'll try to figure out where Ethan is."

Khalon tested the door with his weight. The single lock mechanichism was not the best. It creaked and clanged around when the door was moved. "I bet I can kick it in."

Simon took a step back. "Knock yourself out."

Khalon snap-kicked at the door right by the lock. Something cracked at the door jolted at an angle but still didn't open. Khalon kicked again. The door flew open and came off of its hinges and landed with a disrupting _clank!_ Not only but it obliterated a few tables of instruments and tools. Both entered with guns wielded. No one was in the room. Shouting was heard outside of the door with footsteps and running.

Khalon tensed. "Crap. That's not good. But anyway..." Khalon approached the morgue door and found it was unlocked. It was swung open. More shouting was heard and the scream of a women. "There it is!"

Khalon walked out into the hallway and scanned down the two other corridors. from the morgue door. Guards suddenly shouted and were quickly met by Khalon's rifle. Simon just kept to Khalon's shadow as a nervous expression jolted from his features. A guard appeared out from a corner and he accidentally fired on reaction. The guard suddenly shouted in surprise and turned to a stone color. The gun dropped from his hands. "What...! What did I just do!"

Khalon did not respond. He had a look of game on his face. An agent-looking figure bumped into Khalon as he ran by - Khalon skidded to a halt and pointed the now fallen agent.

"Where is Ethan?"

The agent had a look of utter horror on his dark features. His teeth chattered but no reply came. Khalon stepped forward. "Answer or I shoot!"

A finger hesitantly pointed down the corridor the agent had come from. Khalon subdued him with the rifle shot and both were on their way. Simon muttered a "Sorry!" as he passed. The hallway came to a T-intersection with a single door at the doorless hallway on the end.

"Only one. This has to be it!"

Alarms suddenly sounded. A quick second later some agent opened the door and peered his head out. He was met with the butt end of Khalon's rifle and he charged into the room. It was a small kitchen. A women turned around at the noise with coffee cup in hand. She shrieked and passed out.

Khalon rushed out of the room with Simon at his tail. "Where is it? Where is it? Anything on that radio?" The two turned right at the intersection.

Simon replied quickly. "Yeah! They're moving him out of here fast!"

"Khalon!" Ethan's voice sounded from behind them from down the hall. The two turned around and were met with Ethan being shoved past a corner and led by two agents. One of the agents withdrew his gun and fired. The shot hit Simon in the shin and he fell to the ground with a cry.

"Aug!" Khalon quickly reacted - he crouched in front of Simon to protect him from any more bullets and fired a direct hit at the agent. The agent slumped over on the ground and shouting was heard from that direction. Several guards with automatic weapons charged around the hall and opened fire on the two. Khalon grabbed Simon and started to run down the nearest corridor. Bullets pinged loudly from the walls - one grazed Khalon's shoulder before he slipped from their view. A flurry of agents and Ethan ran past in an intersecting corridor. Khalon darted down the nearest parallel corridor and ran into a group of guards. _Drat!_ Khalon pulled out a spherical object and tossed it at the group. "Here, catch!"

One of the guards caught it and yelled. "Put it down! Run!" Yelled one. The guard didn't drop it. He had a look of surprise on his face - changing to a twisted look of horror as the spherical ball emitted a smoke screen.

Khalon grabbed the opportunity and charged shoulder-first into the guard, still carrying Simon over his shoulder. Though Simon was actually quite lighter than Khalon figured, it was still a burdening weight to run with. The guard toppled over in the confusion of smoke. Khalon took a sharp right in hopes of not meeting any more armed guards. He rushed down the hall. At the intersection where Ethan and the agents had supposedly passed, there was a closing of a door. Khalon caught the blur of Ethan's blue jeans right before the door closed.

"Simon! You OK?" A muffled reply. "I'm going to have to set you down." Khalon searched the hallway. A water fountain was fastened to the floor in a small tiled area. Simon was gently put down in it and was handed some sort of palm-sized device. "Keep holding onto it and you'll be cloaked. Don't let go and keep low. Your outline can still be seen."

Simon flashed once he gripped the object. Khalon ran off down the hall. He tested the door which Ethan and the group of agents had entered and it was locked. Khalon sheathed his pistol and strapped on some goggles from his head-gear. A button was pressed and a yellow-ish hue enveloped his vision. He took out another smoke grenade and readied it and readied his pistol. He then hit sharply at the door and it immediately broke open. The grenade was tossed in and exploded in thick, impenetrable smoke.

"Cover him!" Came a shout in the room. Khalon's goggle's made the smoke appear as though it were just a mere thin haze. Khalon then went to work with the pistol. One by one the fearful-eyed agents were turned to a stone-color with the gun. All were confused appearing and very disoriented except for one agent.

He was holding Ethan in a chokehold and held a pistol to Ethan's head, looking straight at Khalon.

"Drop it!" Ordered the agent. Ethan had his hands gripping on the arm. "Do it now!"

Khalon frowned. That agent couldn't be able to see him! Khalon darted to the left but the agent's eyesight followed him. The gun suddenly was pointed at Khalon now. "Get away from me! I will shoot you!"

Ethan wiggled to get free but failed. The arm was strong about his neck. "Stop it boy! Don't make me put some lead in you."

Khalon rose both hands. Even though he had armor on, it wasn't enough to protect him from a bullet. Just help slow the projectile. "I want the boy. That's all."

"Never. He's coming with me!" The large pistol motioned. "Drop the gun!"

Khalon hesitated for a moment. "Do I have to ask you again?" He grunted, and tossed the pistol down on the floor. "Walk to the door slowly, _backwards_."

Khalon narrowed his eyes. He searched the agent closely. He was blinking often. Suspicious. "Having _trouble_ with those? Tyrranos _scum_?"

The agent gave a slight look of question. "...What are you talking abo-" Shouting sounded from the hall. Confused cries, and running. Footsteps sounded at the door but no one apparently came in. Khalon glances back and caught a glimpse of Simon's faint outline. The agent was searching but didn't see anything. He was blinking fiercely still.

Khalon murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Shoot him."

"Ok." Came the response. The agent, now confused, pointed the gun towards the response. A beam of purple and yellow light emitted from the source and came towards the agent. The agent fired and Simon's body came into view. The cloak device from his hand fell and he tumbled to the ground. A second bullet wound found itself in his stomach. Khalon stared in horror.

Simon's shot hit the agent's leg. The stone color enveloped him and he was immobilized. Khalon rushed over to Simon after he was. Ethan was ignored at the moment. "Simon! Speak to me!"

Simon rolled over on his back. The bullet had entered just about below his rib cage and had exited from his side. He moaned. "Oh, crap, I'm gonna die..."

Khalon placed Simon over his shoulder despite Simon's yelling from the pain. He looked over to Ethan. "Just break his arms off!"

Ethan had already done so, and was staring horrible at the now decrepit and shattered agent. The agent was now a crumbly stone on the floor. Ethan looked over to Khalon, face white. "I killed him!"

Khalon motioned with his gun. "I'm sorry, but that thing happens. Let's go!"

The pile of stone shifted. A long object fell out and rolled towards Ethan's feet. It was a black cylindrical device attached to some nasty looking whip-like tail. The tail had numerous wires protruding from it and had three large wires coming out the end.

Khalon gawked in horror.

Simon groaned. "What!"

"An implant. Ethan, take that with you."

Ethan hurried over to Khalon. He looked over at the remains of the agent horribly and color drained from his face again. "Why?"

"Just do it." Khalon motioned at Simon's gun on the floor and headed out the door. "Pick that up too. Let's go!"

Ethan did so reluctantly and left. He dared not look back at the agent.

The three were immediately met by pointing guns - guards and agents. Khalon began firing and took down two. The remaining lunged behind the nearest doorway or hallway. Khalon took the closest hallway and tried to keep up with his load and Ethan. For good measure he threw another smoke grenade down an intersecting hallway that the trio had passed.

Now to find the morgue. "Simon, you ok?"

A slight moan and groan. "Been better."

"How do we get to the morgue from here."

"Uh..." Simon peered around, craning his neck. He motioned with his head. "Go left down that hall."

They followed suit with Ethan at Khalon's heels. He held the long object in hand with a sort of distrust and disgust. It did come from the inside of a now deceased human, after all.

"Take a right," Simon said. The long hallway came to a T-intersection. They went right. The end of the hallway turned right sharply and their destined door was on the left. Ethan tried it but it wouldn't open.

Khalon gently set Simon down. Footsteps suddenly sounded down the hallway and Khalon chucked his last grenade down it. But mistakenly it wasn't a smoke grenade. It was a shrapnel grenade. A shower of sparks and a blast of sound concussed through the narrow hallway. Pieces of the tiled ceiling and walls showered everywhere with the preceding accompaniment of metal debris. Khalon had barely enough time to think about the distinctive pin sound before he could lunge behind the hallway. He took numerous small metal pieces to his legs. It was indeed like a shotgun blast - Khalon and Ethan fell to the ground. Khalon's large mass protected Ethan with Simon on the ground around the corner. Khalon immediately got up and snap-kicked at the door. The door burst open and flew into the morgue. Simon was hauled over shoulder and the three painfully trudged away. Gunshots followed their leave.

They rushed through the morgue and out of the building, not stopping to look as they went out into the field. Several shouts sounded from beside the doorway. Khalon twisted around and shot the two guards down. The original guards must have been replaced or revived. At any rate they were out cold. Now for the hill.

Khalon was breathing heavy as he trudged on two feet and one arm up the hill. "Gosh, I hope I never have to do this again."

Simon, bouncing. "Ow! Ow!" A snort. "Tell me about it!"

They found their hoverbikes where they were left. Khalon directed Ethan onto one. "Drive it like a bicycle - be careful not too lean too much though. Press the red button to start it."

Pain shot through Khalon's legs as he straddled the bike. But he ignored the shallow shotgun-like wounds. Simon was set behind him on the two-seater and he held on for dear life. The two were off in a puff of leaves and wood debris. They traveled the exact way they came back up to the secondary exit. The door automatically opened, sensing the bikes, and the door quickly closed behind the three now protected in the wake of a battle.

Senses returned to the three. Heavy breathing ensued. Simon was the first to voice his feelings for the matter.

"Uh. You guys got any med tools?"

Khalon looked back. "Oh yeah." He got up and preceded to lift Simon over his shoulder again. At that Simon cowered.

"Don't be too rough."

Khalon smirked. "We don't have to run this time."

Ethan was still seated on the hoverbike. His unfocused eyes suddenly came back as Khalon walked out of his field of vision, but he didn't say anything. Too stunned to say anything. Pain from the shrapnel caught up with his mind which persuaded his contemplation to cease for the moment. He quickly caught up with Khalon and Simon.

Medical supplies were found in the bathroom area. The doorway from the main room led to a hallway with two more doorways. Khalon guided. "I remember someone saying that he hated the bathroom because it was so near to the infirmary." Door open, viola. "And here we have it."

The infirmary was a rather spacious room with beds lining both walls. Two metal operating tables ran along the middle with various unorganized tools laying about portable tables by the operating tables. More equipment was tucked between some of the beds. Simon was layed down on one of the tables. Ethan was directed to lie down on the other table-

"Unless you can help me," Khalon added.

Ethan got off though limping. "I'll be fine... You got any Tylenol?"

Khalon thought for a moment. "Uh... Pain medication. That cabinet over there." He pointed to the end of the room. "On second thought, I'll take a look at it. You stay here."

Khalon's legs were dripping a small amount of blood. But he ignored it. He trudged over to the cabinet and came back with a tray on wheels with several syringes and bottles. He also picked up some sort of machine filled with liquid. The syringes were placed in the machine and it was turned on. A vibratic hum emitted from it.

Khalon gathered other supplies and things. "Ethan, I need some gauze and cloth. They're over by the cabinet."

Ethan limped over. He responded slightly agitated. His expression demoted great pain. "I thought you went to the cabinet already."

"I did... But I kinda forgot it." Khalon looked down. Slight drops of blood covered the floor from his wounds, while Simon's clothing began to soak around the wounds. "Ok... Simon, you wanna go under for this?"

"I don't care, just please stop the bleeding." He looked down the table. His face flushed white. "I hate blood!"

Khalon took the syringes out from the tank of the small machine. "In that case I won't need to knock you out." A syringe was filled from a bottle. It was promptly stuck in Simon's arm.

"Ow!"

"Sorry. Supposed to help with pain." The syringe was set aside. "I hope the meds haven't expired yet."

"I hope not. Hate to get addicted to something that doesn't work."

About an hour's time later, Simon lay bandaged, resting on a bed. Ethan did too but he say upright with back against the wall. Khalon was sitting with one leg dangling over the edge of the operating table. He was removing the shrapnel from his own legs.

A low growl issued from his mouth. Ethan looked over oddly. Khalon forced a smile while plucking the piece of metal and depositing it in a metal cup. Plink. "It'll be over soon enough... I hope." The wound was then injected with a sort of liquid from a syringe with a wide applicator. A burning sensation shot up his leg. "Ow! Gosh, I hate grenades!"

Simon apparently was sleeping up until the moment. "Uh..." Sluggish speech. "These drugs are pret-ty mmmgooood."

Khalon plucked another from his leg. Growling ensued. "Yeup. Wish I could use it."

Ethan quirked a brow. He responded quite sluggishly too. "Wa-ey can't ya use it?"

"I need to be able to focus." Wince. More liquid injected into the wound. "If I can't see straight then I probably will have a hard time tending to myself. I have enough trouble even when I'm conscious, let alone half-dead."

Simon remained quiet. Ethan's eyelids drooped more and more. Khalon plucked out the last piece and sighed loudly. "Yes! Finally. Last one." He tossed the tweezers and the metal piece half-hazardly onto the tray. The loud noise did not make the two budge a bit. Ethan's eyelids just twitched and closed the last bit completely.

Khalon chuckled to himself. "Sleeping just like babies."

While Simon and Ethan slept Khalon trudged about Lavadome II by himself. Though painfully. A slight limp had collected from the leg facing the grenade blast with a good amount of pain. Khalon thought aloud through the pain.

"Ok. Collecting crap for the ship." His eyes scanned the storage room. The equipment that was taken was either blown up down the valley, or lay in the infirmary. He then eyed the ration boxes. Three metal containers, one partially used and the two others unmolested. He devised a plan.

"Ok. Food. Gotta get more somewhere..." A box was lifted, though very painfully, and he head towards the hangar. "Anything better than this crap."

Moments later all the boxes were loaded up into the sleek ship. Khalon spelunked about some more and collected what he could get his claws on. The tools in the infirmary were taken, with the medical equipment machines and such. Simon and Ethan lay sleeping still as he painfully moved things into the ship.

While scrounging about for the last few salvageable objects, he came across the long black object he had told Ethan to grab. He had overlooked it while looking around in the infirmary for supplies and tools. The object was set down on the second operating table. He picked it up and turned the bright light on and sat down in the chair. Couldn't stand standing for long from the pain any longer.

The object was about three and a half feet long. The entire surface was scaled, and a dark glossy black color. The bottom portion was a sort of rounded cube with shallow depressed circles on the six faces. Along the rear portion of the cube jutted out a long whip-like object. It was segmented, and hand numerous short wires jutting out from between the segments. At the top were three thick, large wires with large electrodes. The whip-like part of it bent easily and was flexible.

Khalon lined up the object across his chest. But he hesitated. The metallic black wirey-object was quite creepy, as if it would jump at him and attack him, and who knows what it would do. But it did nothing. It rested against his chest contemplatively. Possibly not attacking until the right moment, then. He then measured the object up next to Ethan. The cold prick of one of the wires jolted Ethan awake.

Once noticing, Khalon hid the object behind his back. Ethan relaxed when he noticed Khalon. "Ah... Thought you were one of those agents."

His speech was improved from the last time he spoke. And thankfully, he didn't notice the black object yet. Khalon took note, but still hid the object. "I see. What did they do to you?"

Ethan shrugged. "Just questioned me. Nothing big I guess. But they asked a lot of questions, that's what's annoying."

Khalon searched Ethan's face. "They ask anything out of the ordinary?"

"Well, yeah. It's not like you crash landed on earth and..."

"I mean. Oh never mind. So, uh, you OK?"

Ethan sighed. "Yeah I guess. Could be better but hey I could be worse."

Khalon's hand went to check on the black object behind him. A small portion popped of it peered from behind him. "I need to tell you something. I-"

Ethan noticed the object. Khalon quickly shoved the other side from view. "What's that?"

Khalon held his breath for a moment. "What is what?"

Ethan squinted in thought. "Is that that thing you told me to bring?"

Khalon looked off to the floor. He nodded and reluctantly put it into view. "Yes, the _implant._" Khalon took another look at it himself and let his arm drop with the object on his knee. "Since it was in a _human_, it means bad news."

Ethan look slightly frightened. He looked down at his chest, and prodded with a finger. He looked back up again meeting Khalon's concerning gaze. "You mean, _I _might have one in me too? Think those agents put it in me?"

"I dunno. I have no idea. But it's possible. Too possible."

Ethan remained silent. Simon stirred. Both looked over at Simon, who sat up and wiped his eyes. He then looked over. "How long was I out?"

Khalon. "At least an hour. Not exactly sure." He held up the object in view and sighed. "And this from the underground compound."

Simon gestured for the object, and it was handed to him. Well, Ethan didn't touch it. He just looked at it disgustingly and shook his head. Khalon had to walk it over. Simon took the object rather hurriedly and huh-ed to himself. "Interesting. But." He handed it back. "Looks wicked."

Ethan looked over his shoulder. Simon met eyes. Khalon gestured embarrassedly. "Sorry! Ethan, Simon. Simon Ethan." He looked towards Ethan. "I picked up Simon from the place you were at. No problem with that, because I'll need somebody who knows computers."

Simon shrugged. "Hopefully I can adapt quickly to the Reptilian computers."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "You mean your leaving with _him_?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah! Better to be out there than on this waste. I got no life here, so what have I got to lose?"

Ethan frowned. And remained quiet for a short moment. Expressions twisted on his features as he looked away and he replied simply: "I'm not going."

Khalon had been listening intently and reading Ethan's expression. He immediately stepped forward. "Ethan, I hate to say this but I'm sorry... You have to come."

Ethan crossed his arms defiantly. "Well. I've got a life here. If I leave I have a lot to loose. I'm not done with High School, less College, and I don't have some job that I wanna get into, and I got my family and new friends and-"

Simon looked to Khalon, and Khalon sighed. "Let me be blunt with you. There's a lot behind this-" He held up the implant. "-and with some other things we found out."

"Yeah? Well like what?"

Khalon sat down on the bed and began to relate to him about how they had got here, learned information, saw the logs and the video, and about the Dinosaucers, Reptilian, Resistance, Tyrranos, along with his abrupt leave of Reptilian with other background information. All the while Ethan interrupting every now and then out of internal denial.

"And the implants..." Khalon gestured with his hand. "A lot of questions are still unanswered."

Ethan remained silent with thought. Simon had got up and stretched and sat down by the two again. Khalon continued. "The ship is ready. All we have to go is get in it and get out of this place."

Ethan sighed and layed down on the bed. "I dunno. Eh. I keep thinking this is all some dream. It's happening so fast." He shrugged. "Never gone through anything like it so..."

Simon took the implant from Khalon and looked at it again. "The sooner the better?"

Khalon nodded. "Yes. The sooner we can get out of here, the sooner we can get to safety from any watchful eyes of Earth people and get needed questions answered. And to the Moonbase Outpost."

Simon continued to examine the object. "Moonbase outpost?"

Khalon nodded but was interrupted by Ethan. Ethan spoke through a mind full of thought. "I'm not gonna be an Earthling any more?"

Khalon nodded. "Yes, and Simon too. If you leave. Which I hope you do, Ethan. Simon has made his mind up..." Simon nodded. "And so have I."

Ethan went silent. Khalon continued. "The Moonbase Outpost is a trading outpost. It thrives on trade. Without it it wouldn't exist. Black market, slaves, prisoners, rubies, diamonds, gold - you name it, you could probably find it there."

Simon flexed the spine of the implant. "What about these?"

"I don't know. Mebbe. But not to sell or buy..." He shrugged. "Unless you're going to _buy_ a slave or prisoner with one of 'em in them."

Silence settled over the three for a while. Ethan lay with his own thoughts; Simon continued to examine the object; and Khalon just sat there. He stared at Ethan as if waiting for an answer.

Ethan was the first to break the silence. He slowly got up and stood on his feet and announced his decision. "I'm not going."

Khalon started. "Ethan. Your life is possibly at stake. In fact, all our lives are at stake. You _must_ come because your past lies out there. In space."

Ethan grunted. "So you meant that David, my father, and Sarah, my mother, were abducted and I was a guinea pig?"

"Yes. You may have an implant." He looked over to Simon, of which who looked over. "So your involved with this as much as anyone."

"Anyone?" Ethan questioned.

Khalon nodded. "Remember what I said about someone possibly being behind this all?"

"Yeah."

"If what we have concluded is true, then that means _everyone_ - humans, Reptilians - are in this. Everyone. Including you."

Ethan frowned. "But what if it isn't?"

Simon gave the implant to Khalon and said, "Either rate I'm gettin' out of here."

Khalon took the object and tossed it to Ethan. "Then that means that this is a figment of our imagination, it wasn't in the fossilized agent, and I wouldn't be here speaking to you."

Ethan did catch it but held it as if it was a stick of dynamite. He held it out for Khalon to take it. "Eh... Get it away. It was in a dead person. I mean, fossilized...?"

Khalon took it back. "Yeah." He then stood up and looked from Simon to Ethan. He sighed as his gaze rested on Ethan. "Ethan, it's now or never. We're leaving in five minutes."

Both Simon and Ethan gave puzzled and curious expressions. But Simon's turned to a slight shrug and attempted to rise to his feet. He nearly stumbled over before Ethan stood up and caught him. At that, Khalon smiled and said simply: "We need each other for this." He walked off.

Ethan helped Simon hobble off. Simon was breathing between wincing and catching his breath. "You got any more of that pain medicine, Khalon?"

Khalon picked up some crutches he had left along the hallway. "Yep. I collected everything we could use out there."

The three quickly arrived into the hangar and entered the ship. Save all for Ethan. Simon hobbled up on the crutches given to him. He turned and looked back at Ethan. "Arn't you coming?"

Ethan looked off at the door to the main room. "I..." His voice trailed off. Khalon appeared from beyond the view of the cargo door.

"Ethan. It's now or never." Slightly impatient sounding. He shook his head and looked to Simon. "Ok, I'm at a loss for words."

Simon shrugged. Ethan looked again to the door. "I just don't know, I don't know. I've got a life here, and all, and stuff..."

Khalon reappeared from the cargo hold with a gun. "I don't wanna have to force you to come. Again. For the sake of your life and my sanity, please just... Step in."

Ethan backed away from the cargo door. Khalon aimed and grunted. "Sorry, Ethan."

_Fsheaow! _The rifle fired a round and scored a direct hit. Ethan fell to the ground. Khalon ran down the cargo door and picked him up. He checked his pulse. "Alive." He traversed the ramp and pressed the button in between the two seats and the door closed.

All the while Simon objecting, twisting around as fast as he could on the crutches. "What... Why did you shoot him? He's just a kid! We could've just grabbed him and tied him up or something..."


	6. Chapter 6

Ethan was strapped in one of the many seats. "Because. I don't trust him here. He could blurt out something that I told him to those agents." Khalon made the straps snug. "This baby hasn't run in... Who knows how long so I suggest you take a seat." Second comment ignored. He weaved around the secured boxes and items of supplies and disappeared into the cockpit door. Before Simon could get to the cockpit Khalon reappeared with three suits in his hands. "This might be a bit snug on you, but its better than wearing nothing. Gravity-suits. Keeps blood where its supposed to be."

Khalon tossed the suit at Simon. Simon caught it as best as he could, juggling crutches and his balance. "Ack!"

"Sorry there." Khalon went over to the unconscious Ethan. He began to entrap him from the seat. "You'll wounds won't make you bleed to death, don't worry." A bit melancholy. "I got your wounds sealed."

Simon grunted. He sat down on a small crate and unzipped the back of the suit. "Sealed with these... bandages?"

Khalon caught Ethan before he fell forward limply out of the five-point buckled seat. He was layed on the floor. "No. Plastic compound that bonds con-vienently to skin."

Simon quirked a brow and waddled one leg into the tight pant leg of the suit. "Interesting. So you hot-glued my wounds closed?"

Khalon worked Ethan's legs into the suit. Confused look. "Uhh... hot glued?"

Simon looked up. For a moment he forgot he was talking to an alien. Aliens most likely wouldn't have cheap craft-making glue guns, unless they were very... diverse. "Yeah. Sortof of like... welding, except the bonds just, well, suck."

"Ah."

After Khalon had gotten Ethan's suit on and strapped back in, and Simon got his on despite the bandage, Khalon put his on. His fit seemingly perfectly. Almost too perfectly. Though Simon had trouble getting his on, it shouldn't have been too hard with the bandage.. But Khalon's? He then noticed the name tagged on the suit - Allo. Thoughts rushing back with memories, and slight anger - the video; the punch marks in Allo's room; how much he cared for that _wonderful _role model now...

Simon hobbled close behind, entering quickly, then looking up and stopping. The whole cabin was accented with _chrome_. Yes, chrome. Chrome buttons, switches, bordering, dashboard, controls, and helmets strapped to the chairs. _Chrome._ Ok - get sort of abducted by aliens, escape from Government compound, get chased, and end up here. With an alien. In an alien outpost, in an alien ship.

"You guys got style."

Khalon just smirked for a moment. He was deep in thought, and an angry looked presided over that forced smirk. Allo's G-suit was in this craft? Why? Escaped, possibly. But Allo knows the Dinosaucer protocol through-and-through. Supposed to be one of the best learned and skilled. Or was that just another one of Reptilian's many lies? ...To the left of the entrance was a seat with several screens, unlit, and numerous switches and a keyboard. On the opposite side was three seats; two seats were facing forward while the other faced the wall. The instrumentation was almost identical to the opposite side.

Simon sat shotgun with Khalon on the right seat. Khalon buckled the five point harness, Simon mimicking quickly. Though Simon was in a sort of surreal feel, he was rushing at the least. The crutches were placed underneath the dashboard on the floor. Khalon pressed a few buttons and the craft wined to life. The instrumentation panel flickered on and a HUD displayed on the sleek cockpit glass. Another button was pressed and the controls moved forward in reach of Khalon. Simon's stayed folded up against the ceiling. "You know how to drive this thing?"

Khalon pressed a holographic button on the control panel and the external doors on the cockpit window rolled and folded away. "Yes. This is a step below the new generation craft. Been trained on both." Like Allo? Allo. He did leave as evidence of that videodisk - and Khalon remembered, the videodisk was in his pocket. A second button was pressed, and then a third. The doors to the hanger jolted and opened - rust flaking down all around the hinges and seams - and a message displayed along the bottom of the HUD. "That means the cloaking device is on. Supposedly we're now invisible to NORAD and other tracking devices."

Khalon directed the ship up and out of the hangar doors. The sleek black ship slipped off into the sunlit sky. The hangar doors closed behind the trio. Something suddenly sounded; possibly a warning of some kind. Khalon pressed the flashing button on the holographic HUD. It flashed to a wide-view of the surrounding state of Colorado. Blips. "Not good."

"What?"

Before Khalon could respond, a stern voice interrupted out of nowhere - "Unidentified aircraft 2A77, report yourself immediately. You are flying in a restricted zone." Flight speaker overhead.

"Great!" Khalon slipped on the helment/headseat hanging from the seat, with one hand, and adjusted the microphone. The v-hud screen was flipped downwards. A screen of green lines and numbers flashed in the transparent glass, merging with a picture of the peripheral view of the ship. As if he was flying out in the air. Information flashed - one corner where coordinates should be, but now just dashes; a 3-d vector of the terrain. He grunted. "Dangit. I wish you were trained in this."

Simon slipped on the helmet hanging from his seat. A little too big but it fit. The v-hud screen was already flipped down and was already processing information. "Trained in what? -Oh." The mass of numbers and coordinates and maps and radars were definitely an eyesore. He flipped it up. "Gosh how can you manage flying one of these things?"

Khalon scanned his v-hud. "_I _can't. That's why there's four seats in here. Dang Dinosaucers deep space war-class ships." He pressed a button on the control. "This is aircraft - uh, 2A77 -" The number was flashing in the upper left corner. _Great. Didn't turn off the broadcast signal. _"We're just taking a little-"

Radio fuzz, then the voice. Hasty and interrupting. "2A77, you will be escorted down to the ground. Follow instructions promptly or be elimated."

A second voice came over the intercepting intercom. Simon's v-hud flashed and he pulled it down. The voice over the intercom came out from the speaker in the cabin. "What _is_ that thing? A UFO?"

Simon blinked. His vision was suddenly transformed to some type of deep-field map, instead of the other confusion. Almost like he was looking at the center counsel map at an angle. Four angry-looking red blips appeared on the edges of the perceived map. Wasn't sure what they were, but they definitely didn't look friendly. "Uh... Khalon. Four blip things on that map? You see it?"

Khalon was pressing buttons on the tangible dashboard. On his v-hud a virtual keyboard flipped up. To Simon it looked like he was pressing and flipping switches in thin air. "Ok good, your map is working. Your now officially... Navigator. All you gotta do is tell me when and where those red blips - bogies - come up. Just forward the information of those red bogies by pressing the green button on your screen."

Khalon flipped a virtual switch. The broadcast signal cut off.

Radio silence for a moment. "The UFO's gone!"

"No it isn't. I see it. That blip."

The fuzz noise indicated switching channels. "2A77 do you copy?"

Khalon responded promptly. "I copy but cannot follow through."

"2A77, you _will_ follow orders or be elimated." Oh, hasty. He used _will_.

The fighter-jet objects were gaining on the map. Simon swallowed the knot in his throat. "They're gaining on us! Do something quick!"

Khalon pressed a virtual button. His movements were almost machine-like and yet cool and calm. Coordinates flashed. "They're over a thousand miles away. We got time."

Click, fuzz. "2A77 you will follow orders. Do you copy?"

Khalon jerked on the controls and pushed forward. Both Khalon and Simon were shoved forcefully in their seats as the craft sped off. Khalon almost forgot what it was like to experience high velocity - glad those five point belts and G-suit still worked. Khalon flipped a few controls and pressed a few buttons. "Setting course for Moonbase."

"Uh. Khalon." Simon. Urgent.

Khalon looked over. "What?"

"They're coming faster... some numbers on the screen, 600 - Well, was 600. Now its 575."

"Crap. Hang on - and press that green button."

The craft suddenly jolted again and was directed up towards the sky. The sun peered out from the edges of the extending sides of the craft. The craft was shaped like some wicked two-pointed blade. The sudden shift of position caused Simon to gasp. "Gah!"

"Simon, hit the green button! I need to know where they are!"

Simon, frustrated and confused. "Wha- Where?"

Khalon leaned over and pointed. He muttered under his breath. "Dang humans. No better than Allo..." Through the transparent glass of Simon's v-hud he could see his claw pointing at it. Strangely, precisely where it was. Simon pressed it after he realized that Khalon's hand moved through it on his v-hud. "How'd you know...?"

"Ok. Lets see..." Khalon busied himself with something on his virtual keyboard. Simon's screen flashed and came to the same view that Khalon saw. The holographic images of the map on the central consol flickered on. "I knew it was there because I've trained with this frickin' equipment through-and-through." He pressed a few buttons on the dashboard. A little rough... Thoughts momentarily raced through his mind with a flash of anger. Allo. Flying this machine right where he was seating. "-Ok, now its on half-autopilot. I just control the ship and the map coordinates come up over there - I know every post of a Dinosaucer ship by heart. Drugs they used to open up the pathways to memory retention worked well, so it seems. Heckuva hangover though."

Simon was caught off guard once again. V-hud switched, and those numbers and jumbled of confusion now seemed to interest him greatly. Like he knew how to translate those radars, and maps, and numbers - only he wished he could. "Hey! I was getting the hang of it... uh. What did those red blips mean again?"

Khalon didn't look. He was adjusting some instruments on the control panel with one hand while flying with the other. Both hanging controls were in one hand. "Those, bogies."

Radio. "2A77 you will be escorted by seven aircraft."

Simon: "There's an eighth!"

Khalon responded over the radio. "Explain the eighth and we might have a deal."

Radio silence. Then the radio wined and buzzed. Channel switch. "Bounty hunter to Tiger, did you fire that missile at 2A77? Don't tell me you did, Hunter!"

A volley of cursing came from the channel. Other men. Yelling, then Khalon responded in a flight of provocation. "Bounty Hunter - Hah, what a _cute_ codename."

No response. A playful smile found itself on Khalon's face. Instinct suddenly kicked in and he jerked the controls - drilled lesson plans from simulators and real-time flying replaced this new situation he had never come across. His hands seemed to automatically know what they were doing from constant drilling of practice. Its like he was two persons - one taking in the situation from a logical standpoint, very surprised; and the other the old, angry, cursing Dinosaucer fighter. As if he had two natures pitting themselves against each other. As if he was both raptor and allosaurus - half-breed.

Earthlings versus an ex-Dinosaucer... first time the two have made hostile contact. Wouldn't matter if he killed a few? Well... If he was really decommissioned, or presumed dead, Reptilian laws and protocols didn't affect him - or did they? What about the Council of Species? They made some galactic rulings. No contact with humans, period. No sightseeing. No practical jokes. And then the ruling about human genetic testing... The Sabertooths left the Council after that one argument. Seemed to have known something everyone else didn't. Hinted at a Darien behind those rumored experiments - then being escorted by their own kind quickly out of the building. Wait - Darien? How did they find out?

Warning light flashed and bleeped loudly. The eighth red blip raced closer. Reality hit Khalon and he jerked the controls again. The two were plastered in their seats as the craft did an angled turn, downwards of ship facing outward - except the ship was now traveling backwards. The eerie blue glow of the endings cast itself to the leftmost and rightmost of the two's vision. Simon peered to the left and right at the engine particle trail - seeing the engines turned around in the short wings. He jumped in surprise at the surrounding view. Trees and mountains of the area were going the _wrong _direction. Then it sunk it - the craft was traveling backwards.

Simon gripped the arms of his chair and stared at the radar. It was as if he was in some terrible rollercoaster - except his life was really at risk, and risk of dying a horrible death. The eighth object rushed twice as fast as the fighter-jets and it was dangerously close. He could barely make out a "...Khalon!"

The eigth object came into view on their screens. The v-hud targeted a green outline on it and flashed a circle around it. Other warnings flashed on screen. 300. 250. 200.

"...Khalon!"

150. 100. Critical range. Move now or die, yelled the warning lights. 50.

And at the last possible moment, Khalon jerked the controls and sent the craft into a downward dive. Blood rushed, adrenaline spiked. The suits clicked and pressed on their chests to keep too much blood from going to the wrong parts of the body. Khalon developed an impish grin - as if the liked the rush of blood and adrenaline, the slight queasy feeling of a head rush in the face of a harrowing death. Simon looked over with an opposite expression. It was as if Khalon was at home, reading his favorite book - or whatever Reptilians do when they got time. Or mebbe they traded books for missiles and golf for ships, and enjoyed cat-and-mouse games every bit more of it than those _old_ pastimes? Death and destruction - what a nice thing to enjoy. And what more, technology to assist you in it. Oh joy. The missile's rocket trail flashed across the front window. 50; 100; 150 - the v-hud continued to track the missile's movements. Khalon pulled up to avoid crashing into the trees on the ground and avoided disaster. Except for the few half-dozen trees he took out with the left and right wing of the craft.

"Good. Sturdy beast, she is."

Simon caught a breath. "Khalon...! Not to intrude on you, since your a really powerful alien and all, but can we just go _up_ out of earth!"

Simon's desperate comment reminded Khalon that he had a cargo, a mission, and unanswered questions about Allo and Darien. The angry and blood-lusting introverted raptor instinct seemed to magically wax away in the face of reality. "Oh - yeah. Good idea."

Khalon pulled down on the controls and the ship veered upwards. They were making a steady ascent. Khalon nudged the touch-pad throttle control on the flight controls and the ship hastened its movements. The missle had disappeared off screen, surprisingly. In fact, it was no where to be found. The group of fighter jets were just a meager group of blips now and radio silence commenced. Must've changed channels.

Simon rested his legs up against the retracted foot pedals. His side of the cockpit was not engaged so all flight controls were inactive. He was gripping the edges of his seat and staring at the radar. "Are they gone?"

Khalon had relaxed, and was now toying with the strafe foot pedal controls a bit. But a strange but dark thoughtful expression cast itself over his features. "Mmm yeah."

"You sure?"

Khalon effortlessly reached over and pressed a button on the dashboard. "Yeah. Stop worrying about it." The smooth metallic plating along the sides of the spacious cockpit suddenly glowed to life as a picture infused with the window. It was a full 360 degree view of their surroundings. Which, in fact, were quite stunning. A vast array of the earth's outer reaches of its atmosphere filled the cockpit. The sun was shining brightly and stars were becoming visible as blue faded away into the blackness of space.

And the two were enveloped at the dazzling array of space - brilliant colors of blue, white, red, and yellow dotted the millions upon millions of stars; the moon hovering vacantly and the sun brightly streaming its steady glow across the solar system. It was as if those stars were some façade, a background; and that moon suspended by wires, and the sun a large globe. Distance and lack of perspective - with a knowledge of actualy distance, but unable to fathom it - almost spun Simon in a vertigo. Luckily he was strapped into a solid chair, bolted to the floor of the solid craft. Nevertheless, the surrounding view took Simon's breath away and made him feel as if he was floating. Almost.

Khalon, though, took one glance over to Simon and looked straight out again. A momentary stolen glance at the moon though. "You've seen this before, right?"

Simon didn't respond. Khalon looked over and observed the human's awed perplexion and said, "You humans need to get out." Bitter overtones.

But Simon didn't recognize the alien's comment. Earth began to shrink away. It became as small as the moon was just a few moments ago, shifting to Simon's right as the craft's course was adverted. Reality struck him - He sighed coldly and bit his lower lip. "Goodbye, Earth."

Khalon grunted softly. "Ok. Don't cry. If you do then..." Another grunt. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with you. Not that I do already."

Simon watched the blue orb shrink away. Human did a surprising thing out of the blue. Human _glared_ at Khalon. "Ok, I just left Earth and I don't know if I'm going to ever go-"

Khalon finished his sentence. "Back? Back! _Never_." He glanced over to check Simon's reaction. A look of depravity from the human. "_Human_. I've been away from my planet for... who knows how long? I don't care about it anymore. Heck, it was never my planet anyway. Just some political dump of a motherland. More like a mother load of waste. Kinda like how your planet is, except people on my planet are so blinded that they'll even lay down their lives for the government. Just for the sole purpose of their... " Khalon added, as if quoting some pamphlet. "Heritage, honor, dignity, loyalty. Join today and get a free wad of credits to stuff your mouths with!"

Simon looked out the window again, watching the earth fade away. Khalon glanced over, and pressed a switch. Soon Simon was merely looking into his own reflection in the brushed metal paneling; Khalon had turned off the surrounding view. Of Simon's home solar system. And his home planet. "Turn it back on."

Khalon shook his head. "Get over it."

With that, the craft took off quickly into space. Simon closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Khalon kept looking forward, face stern.

Simon silently rested in the chair while gazing out at the aura of space, and Khalon set the craft on autopilot and familiarized himself with the cabin and the controls even more. Not a sound was heard from Ethan in the back. Up in the mistakenly near distance Mars loomed. The red planet grew closer, and yet closer, and passed rather quickly. The engines had died down and the craft moved due to the perpetual thrust, and all that was left was the quiet hum of the craft's interior computers and systems. The map of the craft flickered when Mars drew near, and returned to its two-dimensional flat plane of the nearby area.

Khalon was rummaging through the various panels of the cockpit interior. Simon looked over his shoulder oddly and frowned. The bare panels and simple controls seemed a bit too simple to be so interesting . Khalon caught the look, and commented idly as the map identified the asteroid belt surrounding the inner planets. "We're in uncharted area."

Simon looked back after a minute. "What?"

"Uncharted," Khalon offered quickly. "This area is restricted up to Pluto. No use for charted area if its useless."

Silence for a moment. Simon looked out the projections and the window as asteroids passed by. He crossed his arms and adjusted his position.

The craft automatically adjusted course every so often when a large asteroid got in the path. All swift and silent, engines rising and falling in time. "Earth area is restricted because..." Khalon sat down in the seat facing the rightmost wall by the door. "There were already enough sightings by those _humans_. You know - Hubble? Apparently that thing had caught several pictures of our craft after the Dinosaucers left. We were just monitoring activity for the time being until the case with David and Sarah went missing closed."

"Oh." The Milky Way was slowly growing in size. Simon kept his gaze on it in wonder. "_My_ kind?"

Khalon looked over from the controls where he sat. "Well, yeah. Your still a human. Only one to leave in many, many years time." A pause. Mutter: "Thank heavens."

"Ok what's with you? You seem to take a hate to me or something."

Khalon shrugged and adjusted a few dials and switches. A small screen indicated radio levels and signal strengths. Nothing as of the moment. "Your one of the first of your kind, then."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"First human I've talked with besides Ethan. About knocked him halfway to Jupiter but I restrained myself. If I did that, which would probably solve a lot of my problems." A contemplative pause. He sighed and corrected himself. "No wait, it would mess things up, more than they already are."

Simon leaned on the left armrest and leaned over. He stared at Khalon. "You seem lively. Why the change?"

"Hate to kill my first impression, but too late." Khalon slapped a cover closed on some control. "You should be glad I abducted you, and even more glad that I haven't stowed you back there with Mister wanted-by-someone. Gets kinda grungy in tight spaces of cargo holds. Trust me."

"You didn't' abduct me, _alien_." Smack. Khalon quirked a brow - surprised to hear that come from such a small, thin individual. That brought a smirk. " I chose to go. Remember?"

"Then why the forlorn face? I half-expected you to start weeping the moment you locked eyes with that blue planet. Well, for the last time at least."

Khalon's tone projected his agitation. Simon just sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. Khalon walked over to his chair and grinned sadistically. "Please. You should be glad I have spared you. I could crush your measly bones easily."

Simon tensed. In all reality that was very, very true. He glanced over to the alien's large disposition - but tried to play it cool. But something else besides trying to hide his fear struck a chord in Simon's face. "Being the son of a murderer probably makes you feel all the better now, hmm? And a half-breed. Makes you feel wanted, hmm?"

Khalon looked off. "Hah, yeah. Loved. What a human-concept. Rejection isn't so bad, its got its perks. You don't have to deal with stupid idiots that hate you, and if they kick you out then you got excuse to join up with some Resistance, who in fact are probably a bunch of idiots just as much as Reptilian is. Fools."

"So its all about hate, huh? Thousands of eons and flying into space, and you people don't change. Gosh can't you people advance even on bare-level stuff?"

"No. And we're not 'people'. We're diverse, at least more diverse than Humans. You gotta know the different sub-cultures to get it. Human."

"Oh I know subculture. I'm what the government calls a 'small threat'. I'm no better off than a forgotten person in a prison - where I should be technically, but for whatever reason they spared me. So I am a sub-culture."

"As am I. Half-breed." Khalon caught himself up short - and he realized something. Though they were from different planets, different cultures, different families - and despite the fact that Khalon feels that this human may get irritating after all - they were, strangely, similar. The same. In a nutshell, rejects to society. But no. Not same. Stupid _human_. He responded to his thoughts aloud. "Yeah whatever."

Simon was watching Khalon intently. "Yes. Now that we have some common ground at least _we _can advance here. Without that _Reptilian_, without those _Dinosaucers_, without your old life. Without _Allo_."

Khalon's look of sternness returned as he sat down in his seat. Slouched, with same expression as before. "Could care less. Thank you, goodnight."

"Why? He conceived you. Without him you wouldn't exist. Without him you wouldn't be here, talking to some _human_." Simon recalled idolization. "Without him, you wouldn't have a reason to be living."

Khalon forced a sigh. "Like I said: Could. Care. Less. There's my answer, now drop it before I-"

"Allo wouldn't have dropped it. Right? Leader of a team. Just like you were."

Khalon's claws dug into the padding on the arm rests. "Shut it human!" Khalon growled and the viens on his forehead popped out as he yelled. "Allo is a worthless piece of trash! A nothing! I wish he would have died, so I wouldn't be existing now!"

"Really." Simon was definitely onto something. "Then you wouldn't be here, talking to me, wouldn't be trying to decide _what_ to do about Ethan, and me, and where we are going to, and what to do about this implant... And this information you have. Remind me again why you think this implant is so valuable? Why didn't' you leave it on earth?"

"Because its a nice trophy. A memento to remind me about how much I _hate _your kind and Allo and all those stupid fools that exist in this universe."

Simon fidgeted a moment, but continued nevertheless. "You said something about a Darien mebbe being behind this all, and Allo said something about everyone on Earth is going to die. And some kind of chip being used with genetic testing and something being behind it all. And how humans are a more reasonable step to use with the testing since their DNA is less complex than a Reptilian's."

"Yeah I see where you are going, so what, Sarah and David could've been those test subjects. Care less."

Simon suddenly looked over. "What?"

Khalon glanced over and crossed his arms. He continued looking forward. "_What_ about what?"

"Sarah and David were taken by Tyrranos right?"

"Supposedly and Allo was most likely _not_ killed as the Reptilian government suggested kindly, and more likely as a Reptilian test subject. So yes."

Simon blinked. "Woah. Is there something I'm missing that you haven't told me?"

Khalon shrugged. Still broody. "Mebbe. But what does it matter to you? Not like it affects you or anything. At least, you don't care most likely." _Hopefully _not care. So he wouldn't badger him with wherever the heck Simon was going. He closed his eyes and yawned. "Well then I'm off to sleep."

"It matters to me because you got an inter-galactic problem on your hands." Khalon leaned his cockpit seat back a little and continued crossing his arms. But no response. "Khalon. You know about all this. You gotta do something about it!"

"No, not me. Why should I help them all? What has the universe done for me besides dumping me to be an orphan, mixing up my blood with a raptor, and ruining my life?"

Simon frowned. "Are you the only one who knows about this?"

Khalon shrugged his shoulders. "The Resistance has some leads."

"Well, then, explain your case to them. They must have enough influence somewhere."

Khalon further adjusted his position. "They're powerless against the Reptilian regime. And I agree with Allo on one thing, that everyone is going to die."

"No they're not. You can do something about it."

"I'm merely _one_ person out of the trillions of life forms in this galaxy. What am I gonna do about it? No wait, I know. Mebbe persuade them to _dance_ with me, yes! And mebbe I can make them do that ridiculous-looking thing you humans call the _Macarena_."

"You said something about some outpost with Resistance people in it. Why not start there? Is it close to earth?"

"Beyond the outer reaches of this solar system. But they won't listen to this hogwash. They only care about their irrational and shallow ideas, for a cause that this entire race of Reptilians have been wanting - freedom. Too bad they're living a lie."

"Just like you were. So thus you're no better than them."

"I'm still just one person. Out of trillions. Let them deal with the Reptilian government, and I'll just disappear and go far away from this bunch." Khalon crossed his arms and snuggled down in the seat. "Mebbe I could find out where the Lost Colony went. And when I do find them, I'll join them. Gotta love governmental failures in a government that tries to look important and perfect."

"Lost Colony?"

"Supposedly abducted individuals and those of lesser social ranking were sent there. But the last cargo ship was sent a decade ago. Lost contact shortly there-after, and never heard or seen of them since. Hurray for another poorly monitored situation. Countless lives lost _once _again."

Silence settled over the two. Spurts of dust and debris passed by every so often, most likely lingering debris from some planet blasted to bits, or mebbe some deceased outer ring of some planet. Khalon's expression turned to a sort of forced-neutral as he intentionally ignored the scenery. It was obvious something was being contained by his dark flesh - his jaw was set, his eyes shut hard, breathing unusually steady. As for Simon, he continued to gaze out his window. As a last resort to possibly connecting with the creature, he offered some sentimentality: "Well... Ahh. It's going to be odd not being home. At my home planet. I bet I'm going to almost miss my cramped living space... And those stern faces of guards and working personnel. And that one girl who works in the cafeteria." Simon glanced over to Khalon. "Do you miss home?"

Khalon bluntly replied without hesitation. "No."

The intermittent clouds of dust began to disperse, replaced by what was always there: space. And lots of it. Stars of many colors dot the sky. Wisps of bright colors dot the Milky Way's existence and permeate the void. Perspective fades away under the gigantic proportions, where distances are measured not in miniscule millimeters, inches, meters, yards, or even miles; but _light-years_ - the distance light travels in one 365 day year, or 5,878,640,000,000,000 miles. Strange for the extraterrestrial, alien craft to designate distance in this meter - the main counsel screen flickering both in English and Reptilian as the distance showed significant change. The red circular blips on the screen detailed exactly from what - Neptune, closest object of the eternal night sky. Its teal blue surface was surprisingly bright for its distance from the sun - of which the sun exists as a mere bright spot.

But whatever the distance, from wherever, Khalon seemed to care less. He continued to lay back in his position in the chair, peeking at the main counsel screen every now and then. Simon was gazing at Neptune. The craft was close enough to observe the large darkened storm cloud, but not close enough for more detail. Apparently Neptune wasn't the destination Khalon had in mind; the main counsel beeped twice as new coordinates and information came into the screen. Simon could tell the craft adjusted course from being lightly shoved to the side in his seat. The beep and the shift cause him to come to the alert...

"Ok. Finally." He leaned forward and typed a command into the virtual keyboard. The map shifted to a wider view. An object appeared on the fringes of the map. " 'Quaoar' , as you humans call it."

Simon was mesmerized by Neptune. He didn't respond. "Or '_Klaedon-15'_, or Moonbase, as my kind calls it. Former mining colony and now trading outpost."

The word 'Moonbase' caught Simon's attention. "Wait - what? We're there already?"

"Just about. Turns out we got enoug fuel to use the afterburners on the engines. The engines on this piece of crap need some tuning... instead of normal fusion activity its just using the engines like a big gasoline tank that doesn't fill back up."

Their approach had indeed quickened when the craft adjusted its pace. The Moonbase appeared rather quickly, growing steadily from its small grey shape. Neptune passed away behind the view of the craft. And suddenly:

"_Dinosaucer _craft 2A77, en-route to Moonbase flight territory. Do you copy?" Of course, not in English.

Khalon pressed a button on the control panel. A computerized Reptilian voice relayed. "This is 2A77, copy that. Requesting permission to board."

"Permission granted 2A77. You will dock at CX-4."

Khalon frowned slightly. He spoke in English to himself. "Well then. I didn't know a Resistance-owned outpost housed Tyrranos accented individuals." He checked for the pistol at his side - and remembered the weapons were in the rear stow. With Ethan.

Khalon slowed the ship down to a safe descent to the approaching trading post. The shape of the Moonbase was actually not as the name implied - it was much wider than it was tall, and had many thin levels protruding from its circumference. On the top of the station was a flat protrusion, possibly some kind of control tower. Light shone outward from a row of four docking stations. Above each rectangular opening were painted bright letters in Reptilian: "CX-1, CX-2, CX-3, CX-4". It was apparent that these were new labels; old chipped and faded paint lied behind the new paint. The ship's landing was rather rough, but assuring - the sound of latches promised security.

Khalon powered the ship down, seemingly not noticing the information present on the screen, Must be from the Moonbase. The outline of the trading post was the background to the information - the info must be rules, regulations, or whatnot. Khalon slipped out of his five point harness and went to the back. Simon peered out into the spacious loading bay before he fumbled to get his harness off. He looked up again, noticing the peoples present. Some looked similar to Khalon - tall, big looking, a long tail, snout, and short neck, as opposed to a few others; one was a triceratops, and the other was a brachiosaur. The others were ones Simon couldn't pick out. But what is who wasn't his main concern at the moment - it was Khalon.

"-What - wait up!"

Khalon was already out of his space-suit. He sported his banged and half-corroded light armor, with torn pants and old combat boots. Around his waist was his belt, with small pouches; and over his shoulder slung the rifle. Ethan hung loosely in his seat. "Good," Khalon said. He almost opened the cargo door, but quickly changed his mind. He went to the small door in the side of the room and exited. Before he opened the door, though, the anthrosaur explained himself.

"Stay here, keep down, and be quiet. This shouldn't take long."

Simon rested on a crate. Surprisingly, the metal container was still strapped to the floor. "Going to talk to the-"

"-Get help for the engines, yes. It won't take long." And he was off.

The distance to the ground wasn't that far; the landing gear's suspention was retracted as much as possible. Not to mention the latching mechanichism wasn't flush with the floor. He jumped down and continued on his merry way. Eyes followed him - strange looks, from the Dinosaucer deep-space class ship, to his armor, his dilapidated clothing, and his bandaged leg.


	7. Chapter 7

"Just don't let them see your face..." He breathed. Not too sure if pirates and traders took interest in things out of their sectors. Sure the news of the Task-Force reached this far south of the border. The door that he was walking to was situated off center, between two enormous support beams, crawling up and arching over the ceiling. He then noticed the security camera conveniently hidden in the corner of a support. The rumors must be true - they _are _horrible at hiding things.

And funny - Resistance gone paranoid.

The doors automatically opened to him. What didn't welcome him so easily was the blunt expression from the Triceratop. He sat posed, obviously ex-triceracop in badge-missing uniform. No one else wore those dark blue jackets with _those _annoying bright buttons.

"Hello..." Khalon offered, none too eagerly.

The door ominously closed behind him. The burly triceratops breathed in, and said, "What business you have at _Klaedon-15_?"

Funny times two. That name hasn't been used for many, many years. "_Klaedon_? I thought you Resistance-types dropped the name for the sporty and code-name _Moonbase_."

The triceratops's brow ridges dropped slightly for a mere moment. "Regulations demand."

Regulations. And the old name - official names used when suspicion arose. "Well, let it be known that I'm just here for business."

The triceratops glanced downward. To what exactly was explained by the dull bright of a screen on his jacket. "Dinosaucer. Your uniform gives you away. But your gun is Tyrranos."

"Even the best lovers give mixed signals sometimes." Khalon bit his tounge. Dumb remark. But oh well - dry, stuffy, small room. Must get out sometime. No wonder these Resistance were paranoid; being cooped up in an ex-mining facility would make one go nuts. - But Khalon couldn't resist but looking back at his rifle. It was indeed Tyrranos, and he failed to catch that fact. "But I'm no Dinosaucer, or Tyrranos. Or lover. Just an alien looking for business."

The triceratops frowned. "Who?"

"Colakus."

That one name seemed to clear all doubt from the triceratops mind: he nodded, regained his sullen expression, and pressed a button; as if he announced the name like Odysseus did, catching attention of the men who betrothed his house, so did Khalon did. Except he sported a rusty rifle, and could barely call his pants _pants_. The door to the left of the glass enclosure clanged, and it opened when Khalon pushed on it. He closed it behind him. Before him was an enormous, high-ceiling room. Chamber, if it were for a king. But it wasn't for a king - ohhh no, a king would _not_ want to even think of stepping here; the high ceilings were surmounted by different balconies, windows, doors, everything paneled in the dirty bare black metal - with scroungy, dirty looking types walking here and there, some actually congregating in small groups. At the sound of the door closing, and once the various types caught eye of him, time seemed to stand still for a moment. It even seemed like the mindless automated robots stared at him.

He breathed it, adjusted his rifle, and walked on. He could hear his boots dully clank against the solid metal floor. Keep your eyes ahead - just don't look. - But they did. A lot of _look_. Double-looks, and all. But most quickly tried to look like they went back to whatever they were doing. But Even two muscular-looking types, who were about to go fist fighting from pushing and insulting, had to halt their transactions and look. Though all the faces were different, and told different stories - from what Khalon could tell, these pirates, smugglers, and non-Resistance type - they all carried this expression intermingled with other emotion: suspicion. Only an ex-Dinosaucer internationally labeled for murder could carry so much interest in these types. A few he noticed clung secretly to their blade/guns.

Khalon tried easing himself; he breathed out, "Just like them. Dirty, grungy, fugitive, and smuggler." Except those who wanted them knew that they were still alive, and they weren't smuggling humans. Or, they knew that Khalon was now alive.

At least Khalon didn't think so. Hoped so. Confrontation is the last thing he needs at the moment. But people isn't something that can be avoided at the moment.

Whatever the rate - the door. Khalon continued his way, remembering where to go as the geometric shape of the room brought back memories. The small door lied recessed into the center wall of the central "node" - the node being in the center of the circular epicenter, one of five in this trading post. At least, now he thought that they trad_ed_. Who knows what goes on behind these walls anymore. The door was locked, and it took a few moments for the small slot to open, and two blood-red eyes to peer out.

"I'm here for -"

The slot slid shut quickly and the door opened just as fast. "Nice. I'm glad they know me." The raptor behind the door gestured for him and he followed. The door was shut by some other person in the room. Khalon couldn't tell because it was so dark. The only thing he could see were the lights on the bottom of the floor. They lead to an intersection, two leading off into darkness, the third going to some door. He was led to the door and ushered inside.

The room was a small meeting room of some sorts. The walls were paneled in wood, the center table floated, and the chairs were rather nice looking. All were empty except for the one at the end of the table, closest to Khalon. That tail end was missing - Khalon could recognize it from a million light-years away.

Khalon was about to speak when he was interrupted. "Khalon - its been a long time old friend."

"Colakus... Same here! I'm glad your still here - only sane one it looks like is still alive. And you will not believed what's happened to me."

Colakus swung around in the chair and sighed. "Yes - yes. So I've heard." He looked Khalon over, noting the bandages. And the weapons. "Please give the guards your weapons." He sounded burdened. " -For my peace of mind."

Khalon frowned but complied. The guards took the pistol and rifle and left the room. The door closed, and clicked. Locked. "Colakus - what's happened to this place? These types seem so different from back in the days. When things were actually OK to hear and deal with..."

Colakus gestured with a claw. It was gloved with red leather. It matched the wood in the room. "...And was just rumors, I know. A lot comes and goes through here and you end up hearing _everything_ the four corners of the galaxy has to offer. Things are good though. Trading is up more than normal, and things run smoothly."

Khalon frowned. But smiled. "Ok Colakus - who is it this time? Is it that one you've been trying to hook up with for, ahh, how many years?"

Colakus offered a weak smile. "Oh, her. No - heh, I've been too busy with business here. Recently got a small shipment of those fancy new fusion equipment. Made exclusively by Tyrranos. Not sure _how_ it got here since they've been extremely up tight recently... But the stuff was here and now its gone."

"Ah. Dang. Was hoping you had an extra. My craft needs a new engine, or something... Its leaking fuel or using it up like candy."

"So its an old ship?"

"No. Quite new. Thing is... is I got it from Earth."

Colakus blinked. "-Earth? What do you mean?"

"That stupid cramped _trash_ container didn't end up towards the Hades sector like... whoever wanted."

"So you're suggesting that the Dinosaucers aren't behind it?"

"Oh yes, they are. Its just a problem of who is who it seems. And a problem of them not knowing I am alive - and well. Except five minutes ago, when everyone in the universe saw me outside there. Bah."

"Don't worry about them." A pause. "They see dead-men-walking all the time."

"But what _they _don't know is that I am _really _dead now." He slipped out the videodisk and tossed it on the table next to Colakus. "Take a look at that."

Colakus frowned, and picked it up. "Old. Vintage... You could get something for it. If the Dinosaucers did one thing right, they're videodiscs survive the eons."

"And I think its a good thing that one did. You _need_ to look at it."

Colakus hesitated a moment - studying Khalon for a brief moment. "Alright... just this once, ya know." The videodisk was popped into the counsel on Colakus' chair. A screen slid down from the ceiling at the end of the room.

The video played; Colakus taking a look of surprise, shock, yet intrigue and interest. From Allo, to the Raptor, to the Secret Scouts, and Dimetro and all the video played. When it was over, he sat still for a moment.

Khalon had to look away. He growled softly, but forced composure quickly. "Not only does this complicate things, it screws me over. Not that I was dead before - I'm no better off dead over again."

Colakus looked up to Khalon with an expression demoting much thought. "No one has to see this." He slipped it out of the slot in the chair, and put it in his pocket. "No one has to know this; You are _not_ a half breed. A lot of the things Reptilian pulls out of their butts are lies-"

"Yes, just like how I and my teammates, who are dead, aren't innocent; Allo disappeared peaceably; Dimetro is still alive and well and working for the Reptilians; ." Khalon paused for a moment. He drew up a chair and sat down, sighing softly. The plush chair felt very good after a flight on a hard seat. But matters were at hand that made the leather melt away like butter - seem like cold as steel -- like a knife. He placed both elbows on the table and cradled his face in his hands. "Reptilian, how I hate you... The War was worthless when it went to earth. The Reptilian government just made it look like we ended it so we would look good according to the public, so when conspiracy came the government would eventually look good. -Whoever is in the government, whoever is really behind it all. And I've got a name on that. Darien."

Colakus shifted in his seat. "Reptilian was never on of your vocabulary words."

"Except when I'm insulting. But apparently others _can't_ understand that, because they're blinded by the government. I just wish-"

Colakus raised his hand. More on his mind by his expression than irritation. "Ok, Khalon. ...We've gone over this many times before. And lets get something straight. The Resistance is still strong, the War is over, and things can just move along."

Khalon looked up at Colakus, disbelieving. "Colakus." He reached inside his armor and pulled the implant out. Colakus didn't notice the bulge - he just dismissed it as a weapon or something. Khalon placed it on the table, and looked at Colakus. He didn't speak further.

Colakus, meanwhile, sat disbelieving too. But at the object that placed on the table. "-What? What does this mean? Where did you-"

Khalon spoke darkly. "An earthling had it."

"How did he get it-?"

"It was _in _him." He leaned forward, propped on one elbow. "Colakus, this _is not_ good."

Colakus shifted again, except this time uneasily. His gloved hand went underneath the desk. Khalon just noticed that his other wasn't gloved. But he ignored it for the time being. "Khalon - I think that the crash-"

"No the crash didn't do anything to my head." Khalon gripped the implant and bent it. He pointed to the tip where the electrodes were. "Humans need less electrodes than Reptilians do. They need three, as our kind needs eight. Five - eight - can't just be accidentally missing three."

Colakus shook his head. "The drugs used for these implants were destroyed. Weren't they? Where were the drugs manufactured?"

"Colakus, the Apollyon plant never just made transport devices, fusion equipment. They still make experimental drugs - always have - and they were the ones who originally came up with these Apollyon-brand implants. You just got a shipment of some Tyrranos made equipment, right? And the Tyrranos were the ones to originally develop the first fusion prototype?"

"Well yes. I mean -" Colakus bit his lip. "-Oh no. The Tyrranos - they're always one step ahead of everyone with that fusion equipment."

"And you have strict, one-hundred percent confidentiality where your shipments come and go to, correct?"

"Yes. Well most of the time, but yes."

"And since you have this confidentiality, and since everyone in the Resistance and Dinosaucers are in the circle of gossip close enough to Apollyon, you know that the Tyrranos had to have a good wedge in there. The Resistance couldn't have enough power on their own to kick the Dinosaucers out of those facilities and that sector for good - they must have had help. And they had it so good, the Tyrranos must had to be in there all along to wretch them out of there. But for why - and I think I know why. The Resistance knows things that both the Dinosaucers, the Elders, the Reptilian government, and most of the Tyrranos don't know, and things most everyone doesn't know. The way the Reptilian government works, how screwed over the Reptilian planet is, and that the Tyrranos are behind these implants."

Colakus shook his head. "Khalon... no, I think that's wrong. That's absurd. I personally have tabs kept on that sector for many decades, and you know it."

"But why else would the Resistance go so out of their way for that little Apollyon sector tucked on the outer fringes of the charted galaxy? It isn't for some nice picnic on some sunny hill, that's what's for sure."

"Rest assure Khalon... The Tyrranos have let up lately. They've taken a liking to us Resistance-types. They wouldn't normally let some spare fusion-equipment wander our way."

"-Because you Resistance types like to fight the Dinosauceres. The Resistance hates the Dinosaucers, but not for the same reasons as Tyrranos - but they let you do your thing to their advantage. You as sure as heck know as much as I do what this drug does, and how it tricks the body into thinking that this implant-" Khalon tapped the implant on the table. "-is a missing organ or gene. You been tracking liquid drug shipments coming from there, yes?"

"Its regulation. But no Khalon, I don't think that the Reptilian government really used this particular Apollyon-implant and this drug associated with this particular implant. For cripes sake Khalon, the Reptilian government used the Apollyon _chips_. This implant is just... coincidence. The crash must have messed with your mind."

Khalon slammed his fist down on the table. It startled Colakus. "Colakus!" Khalon caught himself up short He was yelling; and thus he toned it down. "Colakus - it can't be. I have two humans on my ship, and one of them has the same scars in the same place as _I _do, as anyone does who has these implants. Such as everyone who is a Reptilian government or civilian member, or a Dinosaucer."

"Well - must be coincidence." Colakus shifted uneasily in chair. "Khalon, things are alright, and there isn't anything up."

Khalon was unmoved. "Colakus, out of _all_ the people in the galaxy, you should know these things. Your not the overseer of this facility for no reason. You know what's happening in all realms since all realms come back to here. -And what's with the Moonbase using its old name? _Klaedon-15_? That's the name assigned to it by the Tyrranos back in the day before they gave up mining here. The last time that name was used was at the Council of Species -" And Khalon remembered. "-The Sabertooths - they left after the genetic testing and implant rumors were going on. Remember? After they warned everyone else about it and the Tyrranos? They _knew_ about this all along! The Tyrranos are behind it! - And what's with this Darien? Allo said something about him. Allo couldn't have gone through heaven and hell just to say an simple name."

"Yes, Khalon... Arg!" Colakus shook his head. "It's complicated. Its too complicated. Just-"

Khalon had Colakus cornered. Khalon knew Colakus knew everything there was about the politics and behind-the-scenes of everything - including the undeniable fact that the Sabertooths did indeed warn everyone about the Tyrranos. "Colakus. This isn't like you to play dumb. I know your not stupid."

Colakus bit his lower lip. Through the course of Khalon's reasoning, he had begin to look downwards, fidgeting with that singular glove. He drew in his breath, and said: "The Tyrranos have their hands on everything. Even this Moonbase. A week before you were ejected from Reptilian they took over operations. They have control over everything - and everyone. Even me. Khalon, I know all these things - the Apollyon, the chips But the thing is is _I can't do anything_!"

Khalon blinked. "So they could be watching us."

"Khalon, you better leave. _Now_."

"-No! The Resistance-"

"The Restistance is split! No Resistance is here anymore. They're stuck back into Reptilian territory. They indeed know that the Tyrranos has a wedge in everything , and the inevitable came and they had to leave if they wanted to survive. The Tyrranos _own_ the Reptilian government. They own everything. The very lives of the Reptilian planet and Dinosaucer are in their hands."

"The implants?"

"The drug and implants are _in use_. Everyone has them! -And you better leave now, because I'm dead for telling you this! Go, Khalon!"

Khalon shook his head. "No, you're coming."

Colakus sighed. He slumped in the chair. Resigned. "No use running. Even if I didn't have an implant... They'll know how to get me because of this." He slipped the glove off. Tyrranos-manufactured cybernetic forearm and hand. The sleeve of his jacket covered his arm. The symbol wasn't Tyrranos, though. It was a "D" with two bloodied blades running through it. Darien?

"Colakus, what is that?"

"The price to pay for bargaining with the devil. It was either lose my life or surrender control. The cancer was moving quickly from the bones. The Tyrranos had the resources to fix me."

"What does that 'D' stand for?"

"Darien."

Khalon blinked. "What?"

"Khalon - Go! They're probably coming for you now!"

Sounds were heard outside the door. Shouting, and that unmistakable whine of Tyrranos weapons. Prophecy. Khalon growled, "Who is Darien?"

"He's behind everything! He controls everything! Dinosaucers, Reptilian, Tyrranos. The Resistance are useless so he never bothered with them. But get away Khalon - go far away and never come back!"

The door clanged loudly. The motors whirred, but it didn't open. The angry red light indicated it was locked. Great, but just a temporary thing. Just like his current consciousness, and how he is alive at the moment. Dead possibly in a second or two. Colakus remained where he was. He dropped the glove on the floor and placed his forehead in his hands. "We're all dead. No one is going to survive Darien's plans."

Khalon felt for his pistol. But it wasn't there. "What are his plans?"

The door clanged loudly again. The metal bent outward in the shape of a square. "The other door. The closet." A door did indeed rest in the wood paneling. Khalon had thought it was just a panel. The handle explained which panel it was. "There's a door in there. It leads to my escape pod... Should still work."

"But - Ethan, Simon - the humans I have on my ship!"

"They're gone. The Tyrranos have them." He cringed. "The implant I have catches radio signals - Khalon, I feel like it controls me sometimes! Like I'm watching myself do things that I'm not doing."

The noise outside suddenly stopped. Khalon suspiciously glared over in that direction, and looked back to Colakus. "What are Darien's plans?"

"It's like I can't control my own mind anymore!" Colakus looked up to Khalon. A strange glint formed in his eyes. "You know what I mean right? Like something is inside you - wanting to get free."

Khalon set his jaw and grabbed Colakus' arm. "Then you're coming with me-"

Colakus twisted his arm around. Now Khalon's arm was in his grasp. He quickly twisted Khalon's around so that it was now halfway up his own back. Colakus spoke through clenched teeth. "Your pod... I made sure that it landed by where Ethan lived. I knew he lived there... Darien knew. ...My coordinates and calculations were right... Nrrg!"

Khalon jumped upward and twisted around. His arm was wrested from Colakus' grip, and he landed crouched, one hand on the ground. He was frightened by his friend's disposition. "Colakus! Snap out of it! I know you can!"

Colakus lunged forward with claws bared. Khalon was about to roll but was caught up short. "Colakus! Listen to me! Agg!" For someone as old as Colakus, Khalon was surprised he moved that fast. He already had followed his movements carefully. His claws swiped across Khalon's shoulder as Khalon went to duck and roll. The force of the blow knocked the muscular Khalon over. Armor straps broken, his chest plate and left shoulder pad flew apart. Khalon righted himself and scampered to his feet. "Colakus-"

Colakus' mouth hung open hungrily. Veins bulged from his forehead. "Run!" His cybernetic arm suddenly changed shape; the hand swung upward and the barrel of a gun appeared. It charged and fired. Khalon was on the ready, luckily, and escaped with just a burn across his back from the charged-particle blast. During the split second of firing Khalon couldn't pinpoint the unfamiliar noise of the gun. New technology? But other things plagued his mind. His boot knife. While crouching down for a land, he withdrew the razor-sharp knife and shook his head. "Colakus I don't wanna do this! Fight it!"

Colakus didn't respond. Whatever possessed him took control over his body. As if some demon was unleashed, he jumped forward again with the cybernetic weapon charged.

Khalon was ready for Colakus. Something clicked in Khalon - as if his worse half took over; instinct perhaps. He ducked neatly, avoiding both the hurtling Colakus and the next particle blast - many years of discipline and training coming forth - and sliced hard but swiftly across the inside of Colakus' upper arm, the arm with the cannon. The arm instantly went limp and blood began to flow freely from the cut. Khalon bit his lower lip and set his jaw when reality hit him. He had cut the nerves and the important vessel. Colakus was going to bleed to death. Quickly.

The body of Colakus seemed to not mind. The jacket's sleeve began to become soaked in blood; the stain traveled rather quickly down the arm. Colakus rushed up to Khalon again. Khalon close lined Colakus, who was knocked flat on his back. He didn't get up. He was coughing. His coughing became rather weak quickly as more blood flowed out of the cut in the sleeve of the jacket. The metal cybernetic arm clanged on the floor. "Colakus!"

Colakus' eyes faded to a light hazel color. The color was draining from his face rapidly. "Khalon... I'm sorry... I couldn't control it. Agh! Khalon... run for your life."

Time seemed to stand still for a brief moment. A thousand memories flashed across Khalon's mind of Colakus; back at the Academy, they had spoken together often. Khalon had been to the Moonbase many times before, each time being received in cordially like a celebrity. Colakus had always boasted about Khalon's accomplishments and the fact that he was the Dinosorcer and -ess' nephew. Colakus got what Khalon needed, too, such as that rare, precious blood-red ruby set in that ring for that one girl - who is now as dead as Colakus now. Just like everyone. No wonder Khalon's Uncle and Aunt were so withdrawing, and the Resistance hates everyone, and the Sabertooths left westward into the uncharted galaxy. But why would he still be wanted? And why exactly did the government raise people's hopes in him and the Task-Force just to rid the Dinosaucers of him and the others? To boost the people's confidence in the government.

Colakus coughed. His eyelids began to droop. "Khalon... Khalon... They're coming. Run."

Khalon knelt down by his fallen friend. "No, _you_ are coming." But Khalon knew Colakus had taken a turn for the worse. He knelt apprehensive, though, expecting the next move - but the move would never come.

And he was dead. The noises outside of the door eerily resumed once Colakus showed no signs of life. Khalon looked down to the pool of blood, catching a glimpse of his face - he hadn't noticed the cut running across his cheek. The last "mark" on his life his friend had made. Khalon wasn't the sentimental type - though this was one of his closest friends from the Academy days, other issues persisted. The closet door. Khalon felt the sting of his conscience for his friend, for not getting in a last word or two before he died; but that was impossible, since Khalon had cut a main artery. Khalon _himself_ had killed his friend.

The door opened without much effort. It was empty. The door on the end of the small closet was a different issue though. Khalon pushed with all his weight, rattling the handle, but tt did not give at all. He attempted a nicely placed snap-kick, but that proved useless as well.

_Bang!_

Khalon paused for a moment. At first he thought the sound was the door he kicked, but it happened to reverberate from the meeting hall. The sound of flimsy, twisted steel on solid floor clanged and foot patter spread. Shouting. Khalon tried the door handle again but it didn't budge.

Shouting. In Tyrranos-infested Reptilian tongue. Khalon turned around but was met with a fist to the face. He went out cold.

The door then swung inward.

Khalon awoke to the sound of steel against steel scraping and clawing. He tried opening his eyes but was met with a pounding headache. A glimpse of a grey dim-lighted room, with one window in one solid-looking riveted door shown through his mental confusion. He forced his eyes open and took a look around - he was on his back, devoid of his armor, boots, and belts, and had several new bruises on his body.

He propped himself up on one arm and rubbed his head. "I need a hard drink."

The room seemed familiar to him for some reason. Not that the cold grey paneling did him in, or the two thin, tall windows on the end shown any resemblance.

And it clicked. "Make that... Two hard drinks." It so happened that he was in the same prison craft that he helped oversee build. He was now a prisoner of his own demise. After many months of careful guessing, reasoning, and planning, he had formulated every possible instance where a prisoner could escape this new design of prison, and it seems that it had worked well. The Dinosaucers were thoughtful to put him in charge of the same craft he would end up in. He looked over his shoulder at the door again. That door was _very_ solid, and this part of the prison ship had the tightest security. Even if he could get through it he would be met by a solid spray of 50 caliber bullets.

"Dinosaucers. Tcha!"

And so he resigned himself to gazing sullenly out the windows. In the distance was the Moonbase. It was no bigger than the end of his thumb. If only perspective was wrong, he could crush that insubordinate thing to dust. That _Tyrranos _thing.

Just then the door clanged and opened. Two guards with that now familiar "D" insignia shoveled in a small-framed person. Officer is a Troodon

END of Finished Portion


End file.
